As the year comes to a close and the nation prepares for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, health officials are shifting their efforts to meet the needs of historically underserved populations. Health disparities among Hispanic and African American populations long predate the coronavirus pandemic. The National Collaborative for Health Equity has been studying these disparities for years, but uses the Hope Initiative to compare how different social factors can play a role in how healthy each state is. While Virginia ranks well in terms of social and economic outcomes, the commonwealth struggles with access to health care. The Virginia Department of Health is hosting several informational sessions regarding COVID-19 vaccine information this month.