Rural communities forced to actively seek out information when it comes to COVID-19 pandemic Some rural communities feel left behind By: McKenna King and last updated 2021-03-16 18:00:53-04 SEBRING, Fla. â It's hard to imagine in our information age, that access to it might be hindered. But thatâs the reality for many people living in our rural communities. And as weâve discovered, theyâre often left behind when it comes to getting important information about health and safety issues. The pandemic has certainly heightened those problems. The CDC has a âSocial Vulnerability Index,â which details how vulnerable counties in the U.S. are based on health and income. Often, the more vulnerable areas are in rural communities.