Table 2.

Primary questions and key themes of responses.

Participants were asked to address two primary sets of questions. Listed below are the key themes that emerged from these group discussions.
Question	Key themes
Concerns about vaccines:
What are some of the biggest concerns that members of your community have about a COVID-19 vaccine?	• Varied concerns related to safety and side effects, with particular emphasis on how the speed of vaccine development and political pressure could potentially compromise vaccine safety/efficacy (LI, B/Q, S, B) • Changing information, mixed messages, and misinformation about vaccines and virus itself driving distrust (LI, B/Q, S, B) • Justified distrust based on historical medical abuse (Tuskegee experiment, experimentation under slavery, as well as other cases) and on-going disparities (LI, B/Q, S, B) • Teenagers and young people not feeling as vulnerable to disease and may therefore be less motivated to take vaccine (LI, B/Q, S) • Black Lives Matter movement as an important context for understanding vaccine concerns (LI, S) • Cultural barriers between western medicine and some refugee communities leading to miscommunication and distrust (S) • Concerns about being among the first groups (either as essential workers or communities with high COVID-19 rates) when side effects will be least known (LI) • Vaccine trials may not include adequate representation of racial-ethnic groups or individuals with preexisting conditions (B)
What do you think are the best strategies for addressing concerns and making people feel more comfortable taking a COVID-19 vaccine?	Groups noted central importance of: • Linguistically and culturally appropriate messages delivered by trusted partners who believe in vaccine (B/Q, S, B) • Early engagement before vaccines are available and education along the way (LI, B/Q)
	Points on message content: • Acknowledging and having open and honest conversations about past abuses and ongoing disparities and making clear intentions and plans to do better (B/Q, S) • Attending to age/generational differences in message content (B/Q, B) • Clear information on what was done to speed up vaccine testing/production to address concerns about speed (B/Q)
	When asked to suggest trusted partners, participants noted: • Places of worship (LI, B/Q, B), Health care providers (LI, B/Q, S), Local community-based organizations (e.g., immigration assistance, domestic violence support (LI, B/Q, B), Service fraternities and sororities (LI, B), Young activists in communities (B/Q), Shelters (LI), Mutual aid networks (B/Q), Unions (B/Q), Sports leagues (B/Q), Higher ranking individuals within school system (S), County health officials (S)
	When discussing how to deliver messages, participants noted: • Ethnic news outlets and media, including social media (LI, B/Q, B) and radio (B/Q, LI)
Access barriers to vaccination:
What are the biggest logistical and practical barriers that people are likely to face in getting the vaccine?	Transportation (LI, B/Q, S), Child care (LI, S), Time and scheduling around work (B/Q, S), Potential distribution sites that are unequally distributed across a city, participants noted this as a barrier with testing that might emerge with vaccine sites as well (B/Q)
What would be the best strategies for distributing a vaccine?	• Have messages in plain language that are accessible to persons with disabilities, and include messaging strategies that don't require internet (B)
	When discussing possible distribution sites, participants noted: • Chain drug stores (LI, B/Q, S, B), Places of worship (LI, B/Q, S), Schools (LI, B/Q, S), Health centers (B/Q), Community-based organizations (B/Q, B), Public libraries (B/Q, B), Shelters (B/Q), Public housing (B/Q), Parks (B/Q), and using mobile vaccine units (B) • Some participants (LI, S) voiced concerns that vaccines delivered in some sites or by some organizations might be perceived as linked to delivery of in-kind benefits or services, which could make some groups feel obligated to accept vaccinations, e.g., if vaccines are delivered at a site that also serves as a food bank, etc.