And because the vaccine is launched across the country, these communities are being vaccinated at much lower rates than white Americans.
These inequalities are evident in some of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, where the demand for vaccines is outstripping supply. Although experts have raised concerns about vaccine hesitation among black and Hispanic adults, disparities in vaccination rates also indicate that consultations are not accessible enough for disadvantaged groups.
“As we are considering how to ensure fairness in vaccinations, a set of key factors will be to ensure that everyone can have access to vaccines, regardless of their circumstances,” said Samantha Artiga, director of the racial equality and health policy program at Kaiser Family Foundation.
Artiga said that increased demand could lead to a “order of arrival” system, creating an environment where those with access to the Internet and a vehicle are more likely to sign up for a vaccine.
A CNN analysis of five of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States shows that while each is facing specific city challenges, all face shortages of supplies, difficult enrollment processes and disproportionately low vaccination rates among the groups most affected by the pandemic. .
In Houston, inequality of distribution in areas of Hispanic majority
The Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Hispanic residents in Harris County, but data released by Texas show that vaccination rates among the Hispanic population are decreasing.
In Harris County, 44% of residents are Hispanic, but accounted for 60% of new Covid-19 infections during the first week of February.
The disparity is also present in vaccination rates – only 19% of vaccines in the county were administered to Hispanic residents, while 43% were to white residents.
The state recently announced that it would set up several Covid-19 vaccination centers, including six in Harris County. At a news conference on Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner criticized the lack of dose distribution at smaller health clinics in the county, many of which are located in sub-vaccinated areas and are easily accessible by public transport.
“Mass distribution sites are good for numbers, but when it comes to people who are disproportionately affected, they are not good for equity,” he said. City and state officials have since asked Governor Greg Abbot to provide more vaccines for smaller health clinics and pharmacies.
A disproportionate number of white vaccinated residents in Chicago
Equitable distribution of the vaccine in Chicago was an initial concern among health officials, who feared that the city’s drugstore deserts could worsen the disparate effects.
Hispanic residents account for the majority of Covid-19 cases in the city – 35%. And 38% of those who died from the disease are black.
Distribution locations are grouped in the predominantly white areas of the city and are more sparse on the south and west sides of the city, where the majority of residents are black or Hispanic. Despite the higher rates of Covid-19 infections in black and Hispanic Chicagoans, they received 38% of the combined vaccine doses, while white residents received almost half. The city’s population is 29% Hispanic, 30% black and 33% white.
Chicago is also one of the few cities that release CEP vaccination data, revealing that far fewer residents received a dose of the vaccine in the south and west of the city than in predominantly white areas.
The lack of data in Atlanta creates challenges for accountability
But the lack of available data makes it difficult to identify and begin to address disparities.
“Data limitations … limit the extent to which we are able to get a complete picture of equity in vaccination,” said Artiga. “Data is essential for understanding where gaps exist and making an effort to address those gaps.”
Confusion about availability in Los Angeles
Vaccination rates among other elderly groups are higher – 17% of whites, 18% of Asian Americans and 29% of native Hawaiians / Pacific Islanders received the first dose of the vaccine.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the county’s public health department, said at a briefing on Monday that she was “alarmed” by the data and expressed an urgent need for better disclosure.
“These early data show us that we need to make it much easier for Native American, black and Latino residents and workers to be vaccinated in their communities by trusted providers,” she said.
Public health officials announced that the county-run sites would be administering mostly second doses this week as they deal with shortages of supplies, which left many confused about whether the first doses were available at city-run locations. The mess of messages left the city-run vaccination site at Dodger Stadium, with thousands of unused first-aid appointments available to seniors on Tuesday. But the next day, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city-run sites would be temporarily closed at the end of the week due to a lack of doses.
New York has fewer vaccine sites in the most affected areas
The city has tried to increase the speed of vaccinations, including opening a large center at Yankee Stadium, but some of its most affected areas still have the fewest vaccine distribution centers. Locals in these neighborhoods face the dilemma of who to vaccinate. A mostly Hispanic website in Washington Heights, which has the highest infection rate in Manhattan, was criticized last week for vaccinating large numbers of whites who came to the clinic in other neighborhoods.
Staten Island and Queens, among the hardest hit neighborhoods, have 11 and 28 locations, respectively. Even in areas where a website is available, residents must navigate a complicated sign-up process that requires Wi-Fi, e-mail and, often, a good deal of luck.
A path to equitable access
As state and local governments receive more doses of the vaccine, health officials and activists are sounding the alarm about the need for better planning and outreach in vulnerable communities.
“There may be a shortage of products,” she said, “but there is no shortage in terms of opportunities to connect with organizations that have roots in these communities to jointly develop a delivery system that works for these segments of society. ”