Effectively Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Lessons From HIV Prevention, Care, and Treatment and Innovative Strategies to Conduct Community-Based and Community-Engaged Research Safely

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new infectious disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered the ways in which members of communities live, learn, work, and play. Similarly, the pandemic has affected the conduct of community-based and community-engaged research, which are essential research approaches to promoting health equity, reducing health disparities, and improving community and population health. In this commentary, we outline nine lessons from HIV prevention, care, and treatment that are particularly relevant to reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also identify ten innovative strategies to reduce exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among teams and community members conducting community-based and community-engaged research. Implementation of these strategies will help to ensure these research approaches can safely continue during the pandemic and that communities and populations continue to benefit from research designed to promote equity, reduce disparities, and improve health.