The CDC advised every state in the US to consider people of color as vulnerable groups in their vaccine distribution plans.
According to an analysis by The Daily Mail, twenty-five states have adopted the CDC’s recommendations, and are prioritizing, Black, Latino, and Indigenous people in their plans.
The states with commitments to prioritizing people of color in vaccine rollout plans are: California, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Washington, D.C, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Health officials in California and Oregon are working to ensure Black and Latino people have greater access to the vaccine. New Mexico is working with Indigenous communities to bring access to the vaccine to those at greatest risk.
The CDC recommended states use its Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) in distribution plans. The SVI uses 15 data points from Census data to help officials identify a person’s or community’s level of risk and needed support. Michigan is reportedly using the SVI in setting its vaccine priority.
A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that 12 states will specifically use partnerships with healthcare providers in areas with large Black and Latino populations in their vaccine distribution plans.
The commitment to racial equity in states’ distribution plans comes as health officials work to build trust among communities of color who have long been victimized by the US healthcare system.
The Kaiser Family Foundation also found that a large portion of Black and Latino adults in the US said they wouldn’t get the vaccine, citing concerns of side effects and lack of information in what the vaccine actually does.
With the approval of the Moderna vaccine, health officials added to its resources to combat the spread of the virus and get the communities and individuals at highest risk for contracting and dying from COVID-19 protection.
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