Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nearly Half Of Race Data Missing In First Month Of Vaccinating
The Washington Post: Race And Ethnicity Data Missing For Nearly Half Of Coronavirus Vaccine Recipients, Federal Study Finds
Race and ethnicity data was missing for nearly half of all coronavirus vaccine recipients during the first month shots were available, further stymieing efforts to ensure an equitable response to a pandemic that continues to unduly burden communities of color, federal researchers reported Monday. The findings on vaccination data illustrate that a long-standing lack of information on the race and ethnicity of who has been diagnosed with covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, has carried over to who has been inoculated. (Johnson, 2/1)
Fox News: Nearly Half Of US Coronavirus Case, Vaccination Race/Ethnicity Data Is Missing
"These insights from our data are critical for our ability to target and triage our response," Nunez-Smith said at the briefing Monday. "Without good data, we are at a disadvantage in terms of equity planning." "We must address these insufficient data points as an urgent priority," she added. The coronavirus pandemic has emphasized deep-rooted and long-standing inequities; racial minorities suffer a heightened risk of hospitalization and death due to the novel virus compared to white individuals, though the rates vary by race/ethnicity. (Rivas, 2/1)
Politico: New CDC Data Shows Stark Disparities In Coronavirus Shots
Why it matters: President Joe Biden wants an equitable distribution of the coronavirus vaccine, but preliminary reports showcase just how much ground will need to be made up. (Roubein, 2/1)
More From KHN:
- As Vaccine Rollout Expands, Black Americans Still Left Behind (Weber and Recht, 1/29)
- Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans (Weber and Recht, 1/17)
Dallas Morning News: State Proposals To Address COVID-19′S Unequal Effects On Black And Latino Texans Still Months Away
A new state report, released nearly a year into the pandemic, confirms what many experts have known all along: Black and Latino communities are being hit disproportionately by COVID-19. Officials behind the report say it could be another eight months before they identify causes and put forward any policy fixes. By then, state lawmakers will have wrapped up their work in Austin, many Texans will have been vaccinated against the coronavirus and others will have lost their lives. State Rep. Shawn Thierry, who called for a task force early on that could offer fixes in real time, said the findings only reinforce the need to direct resources to communities of color, especially as early data shows white residents getting vaccines at higher rates than Blacks and Latinos. (Morris, 2/1)
