Zip code data show income-based Oregon vaccine inequality

The Oregon Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution program promises a “health fairness effort” where access to potentially life-saving vaccines is independent of social class, race, and ethnicity. ..

However, data on the number of people vaccinated by zip code released by OHA this week show clear inequality after four months of efforts to vaccinate all Oregonians.

Vaccination rate by zip code income quartile

Throughout the state, people in wealthy areas were 1.5 times more likely to have been vaccinated at least once than people in the poorest areas.

In the wealthiest quarter of Oregon’s zip code, with per capita income of over $ 36,189, 40% of people were vaccinated as of April 12. In the poorest quarter, when per capita income was less than $ 26,424.00, it was only 26%. ..

that is Correlation seen nationwide, From Connecticut to California.

A data release that reveals inequality occurs when another wave of COVID-19 dominates Oregon. Daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths have all increased significantly.

According to experts, this data reflects many of the inequality embedded in American healthcare and the obstacles to achieving herd immunity.

“We need to remember that to tackle this pandemic, we need to vaccinate the majority of the population, 70-85% of the population,” said Daniel Lopez Sevalos, a professor of ethnic research at OSU. I am.

“It is in the interest of everyone that it includes a high-income community.

Vaccinations are required for income groups and for race and ethnic groups as a whole. “

The data available suggest not only income, but also ethnic immunization disparities.

People with a high percentage of whites living in the Portland Metro area zip code generally have higher immunization rates, but the tendency is more complex in rural areas of the state.

OHA’s ongoing collection of individual ethnic data shows vaccination rates for Latin Americans, especially subsequent Caucasians and other groups. They make up 13% of the state’s population, about 25% of people infected with COVID-19, and only 7% of vaccinated people.

This week, the Latino Network and other community organizations said state and health system efforts to vaccinate Spanish-speaking and uninsured people are timid and need to be scaled up. Said.

Relation: Vaccine gaps plague Oregon’s efforts to protect Latino communities

“That’s what we have to do in more places in the state. They save their lives because they make space for people to belong to and they know that vaccines are for them. It’s worth it, “said Serenacles of Virginia Garcia, a memorial foundation.

So far, according to Cruz, the work has been largely left to specialized clinics like her, with far less vaccination than large mainstream healthcare providers such as Kaiser Permanente and Providence. I have not received it.

OHA Director Patrick Allen said he would work on some specific suggestions sought by community leaders. These include a Spanish hotline to help people register vaccination appointments and benchmarks on how many vaccinations should be given to Latin Americans to ensure equivalence. ..

“We are ready to double the work with these partners, come up with new strategies, new investments and ensure that people do what they need to vaccinate,” Allen said. ..

Governor Kate Brown states that he is aware of the issue of unequal access in the deployment of vaccines.

“We’re doing more than ever, but that’s not enough,” she said. “There is a lot of effort to reach these hard-to-reach communities.”

Experts say many factors are likely to explain why people in wealthy areas are receiving more vaccinations.

The Oregon qualification system prioritized healthcare professionals, teachers, and people over the age of 65. Healthcare professionals tend to earn higher incomes, and older people may have lifelong savings and wealth.

The technical requirements for signing up for a reservation and the need for access to transportation to get to the vaccination site are also factors.

Courtney Campbell, an OSU professor and medical ethics expert, said:

Campbell believes that people working in low-income jobs have found themselves “double disadvantaged” due to the state’s first eligibility criteria and lack of access to their resources.