Some people still face barriers to getting a COVID vaccine, CDC says. Here’s who
Disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and uptake were apparent when the shots became available for Americans in December. But now that eligibility has expanded, those inequities have increased, especially in large cities and rural areas, according to a new report.
Adults living in counties with lower socioeconomic status and higher percentages of homes with children, single parents and people with disabilities aren’t getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as much as adults living in more well-off counties, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials reported Friday.
Researchers say people living in counties with low vaccination coverage “might experience unique challenges in accessing vaccination,” including inaccessible or limited health care services, transportation difficulties and increased vaccine hesitancy because of a lack of information.
The findings also highlight how social and structural factors continue to contribute to health disparities among the most vulnerable populations, particularly people of color who tend to live in the most affected counties. Evidence shows Black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian/Alaska native communities are more likely to get infected, be hospitalized and die from the disease.
“As vaccine eligibility and availability continue to expand, assuring equitable coverage for disproportionately affected communities remains a priority. Outreach efforts, including expanding public health messaging tailored to local populations and increasing vaccination access, could help increase vaccination coverage” in vulnerable counties, the report says. “Because U.S. adults with less education and income and without health insurance were more likely to report vaccine hesitancy before the start of the COVID-19 vaccination program, strategies to improve vaccination coverage … should also address vaccine confidence.”
Researchers analyzed data from 99% of U.S. counties, excluding California counties with populations less than 20,000 and those from Hawaii because of a lack of vaccination data.
Disparities were determined with a “social vulnerability index” based on four categories: socioeconomic status; household composition and disability; racial/ethnic status and language; and housing type and transportation.
COVID-19 vaccination coverage was down nearly 17 percentage points in counties with the lowest socioeconomic status. It was also down about 6, 12 and 7 percentage points among adults living in counties with a higher than average percentage of kids, people with disabilities or single-parent homes, respectively.
Vaccination uptake didn’t vary significantly when considering housing type and transportation, but it was lower in counties with a higher than average percentage of mobile homes (down nearly 17 percentage points compared to less disadvantaged counties).
The researchers highlighted efforts to increase access to vaccination, including enrolling more providers who are “known and trusted” in these affected communities, opening more mobile and walk-in clinics with flexible evening and weekend hours, especially near child care centers and schools, and organizing more home-visits for vaccination.
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Some people still face barriers to getting a COVID vaccine, CDC says. Here’s who."
