Catching up on race gap as vaccine access widens

[Star Tribune, March 15, 2021] Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination have persisted in Minnesota, but equity advocates hope a recent expansion in eligibility will steer more doses to minority members who have suffered higher rates of severe illness and death.

The latest Minnesota Department of Health data showed that Black people make up 6% of the state's population but 3.5% of its vaccine recipients. The COVID-19 death rate for Black people is more than twice that for white people when adjusting for differences in the average ages of the two groups in Minnesota.

Allina Health sought to address the disparity this weekend by offering 800 appointments for the single-dose J&J vaccine in Minneapolis. The provider sought minority and lower-income patients from the surrounding Phillips neighborhood.

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