A recent analysis from Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found continued disparities based on state-reported data of COVID-19 vaccinations by race and ethnicity.
The study, which includes data on COVID-19 vaccinations, cases, and deaths by race/ethnicity from 34 states as of February 16, 2021, found a “largely consistent pattern” of Black and Hispanic people receiving fewer COVID-19 vaccinations compared to their number of cases and deaths and compared to their total populations.
Indeed, KFF found that 20 percent of vaccinations in Texas have been distributed to Hispanic people, however, they account for 42 percent of cases, 47 percent of deaths, and 40 percent of the total state population. Similarly, in Mississippi, Black people have received 22 percent of the state’s vaccinations, while they account for 38 percent of cases, 40 percent of deaths, and 38 percent of the total state population.
White people, however, were found to receive a higher number of vaccinations compared to their number of cases and deaths and compared to their total population. The vaccination rate among Asian people was close to or higher than their number of cases and deaths, with exception to a few states where it was lower.
The data analysis also evaluated vaccination rates by race/ethnicity for the 27 states that report such data based on total people who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The findings include:
- The vaccination rate among white people (10 percent) is over three times higher than for Hispanic people (3 percent) and twice as high as the rate for Black people (5 percent)
- White people have a higher vaccination rate than Hispanic and Black people in all reporting states, with the differences in vaccination rates varying widely
- The vaccination rate for Asian people (8 percent) is closer to the rate for white people in most reporting states, but they are less likely to have been vaccinated in most reporting states
“Together, these data raise concerns about disparities in vaccination but are also subject to gaps, limitations, and inconsistencies that limit the ability to compare data across states and draw strong conclusions,” wrote study authors, calling for comprehensive standardized data across states to better understand racial/ethnic disparities and ensure equitable access to the vaccine.