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Just over half (54%) of people who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from health centers were people of color, including 26% who were Hispanic and 12% who were Black. These shares are much higher than the shares of nationwide vaccinations. Learn more in this Chart of the Week.
More than half of those who received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine through a community health center were people of color, suggesting that health centers appear to be doing a better job of reaching people of color than are overall vaccination efforts, finds a new KFF analysis.
This brief reviews information available through state websites and publicly available vaccine distribution plans to provide greater insight into how states are addressing equity through vaccine allocation and distribution strategies, outreach and communications efforts, and data collection and reporting. It provides a snapshot and examples of state efforts in these areas.
Many Relied on Another Person’s Help to Try to Get a Vaccine Appointment As many states and local authorities ramp up their COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor report provides the first in-depth look at Americans’ experiences trying to gather relevant information and sign up to get vaccinated.
This report shows about half over the age of 65 say they have already received at least one dose of the vaccine or have scheduled an appointment to do so. It also examines how easy or difficult it has been for people to get an appointment and information about the vaccine, and where the public would most like to receive it.
March 4, 2021 – THE CONVERSATION: Between Us, About Us. is a new campaign to provide Black communities with credible information about the COVID-19 vaccines co-developed by KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) and the Black Coalition Against COVID.
As of Feb. 14, 2021, weekly new deaths among nursing home residents have decreased by 83% since long-term care vaccination efforts started at the end of December, compared to a 67% increase in new deaths among all non-nursing home residents during the same period. Learn more in this Chart of the Week.
While the toll of COVID-19 on nursing home residents has been well documented, less noticed has been the experience of nonelderly people with disabilities who rely on long-term care services and supports outside of nursing homes.
This issue brief presents current state-level data about COVID-19 cases and deaths in settings that primarily serve nonelderly people with disabilities and summarizes available research on this population’s elevated risk of severe illness and death; explains how nonelderly people with disabilities and their LTSS providers are reflected in state vaccine prioritization plans; and discusses key issues related to vaccine access for these populations.
In this Axios column, Drew Altman paints a more optimistic picture of the prospects for getting to herd immunity as vaccine confidence grows, but underscores the urgency of building vaccine confidence in Black and Latino communities where barriers to access and good information are obstacles to getting vaccinated.
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