Disparities in Reaching COVID-19 Vaccination Benchmarks: Projected Vaccination Rates by Race/Ethnicity as of July 4
Marissa Reitsma, Samantha Artiga, Jeremy Goldhaber-Fiebert, Neesha Joseph, Jennifer Kates, Larry Levitt, Anna Rouw, and Joshua Salomon
Summary: In the race to vaccinate as many people in the U.S. as possible, several benchmarks have been proposed, including President Biden’s goal of reaching 70% of adults in the U.S. with at least one dose by July 4. Whether or not this is attainable is unknown, as the pace of vaccination has slowed, and progress has varied substantially across states. Moreover, even where the 70% target is reached, whether nationally or in a particular state, achievement of the goal for the overall population may mask differences in vaccination rates across groups, particularly by race/ethnicity. To date, vaccination rates among Black and Hispanic people have lagged behind those of White people, largely due to access and logistical barriers as well as concerns about safety and potential side effects. As such, even if broad national vaccination goals are achieved, these groups may remain at higher risk, which could lead to widening health disparities and limit the nation’s recovery from the pandemic. To further explore potential disparities in meeting vaccination goals, researchers at Stanford University and KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) analyzed current state-reported vaccination data by race/ethnicity to project vaccine coverage going forward, by state and nationally.
Questions or comments: mreitsma@stanford.edu
