Via NBC News, a KHN report by Hannah Recht and Lauren Weber: As Covid vaccine rollout expands, Black Americans still left behind. Excerpt:
Black Americans are still receiving Covid-19 vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans even as the chaotic rollout reaches more people, according to a new KHN analysis.
Almost seven weeks into the vaccine rollout, states have expanded eligibility beyond front-line health care workers to more of the public — in some states to more older adults, in others to essential workers such as teachers. But new data shows that vaccination rates for Black Americans have not caught up to those of white Americans.
Seven more states published the demographics of residents who have been vaccinated after KHN released an analysis of 16 states two weeks ago, bringing the total to 23 states with available data.
In all 23 states, data shows white residents are being vaccinated at higher rates than Black residents, often at double the rate — or even higher. The disparities haven’t significantly changed with an additional two weeks of vaccinations.
In Florida, for example, 5.5 percent of white residents had received at least one vaccine dose by Jan. 26, compared with 2.0 percent of Black residents. That’s about the same ratio as it was two weeks ago, when the rates were 3.1 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively.
Black Americans are being left behind due to barriers stemming from structural racism, as well as a failure to address nuanced hesitancy and mistrust about the vaccines and the medical system overall. The ongoing vaccination gap has prompted officials from around the nation to call for action.
“With Covid-19 continuing to take a disproportionate and deadly toll on communities of color, we need urgent solutions to address health inequities and crush this virus," said Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), first vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. He said he is working to pass legislation to address equity issues.
