New data from Louisiana’s Department of Health shows less than 10% of COVID-19 vaccines have gone to the state’s Black residents, and health experts say the state must address distrust to increase COVID-19 vaccination in Black communities.
Louisiana released preliminary data about the more than 272,000 people in the state who have received one or both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine Friday, showing 9.86% of vaccines were administered to Black people, who make up 33% of the state’s population.
Although the preliminary data shows an alarming disparity in vaccinations, direct comparisons to the state’s overall population are flawed because LDH has not released a breakdown of the demographics of the health care workers, long-term care facility residents or people over 70 who qualify to receive the vaccines.
According to study minorities less likely to get COVID-19 vaccine
According to study minorities less likely to get COVID-19 vaccine By Breanne Bizette | December 19, 2020 at 9:43 PM CST - Updated January 27 at 1:25 PM
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The CDC says minorities have been more likely to have serious complications with COVID-19, but a number of studies say there are far less likely to get a vaccine. However, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is hoping to change that for minority groups.
Though it’ll be months before the average person can get a shot, LDH says their work starts now. They’re making special plans to ensure minorities get a coronavirus vaccine.