New CDC report shows the size of rural-urban coronavirus vaccination gap since December - Entrepreneur Generations

A newly released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows how much lower coronavirus vaccination rates were in rural counties than in urban ones from mid-December to mid-April. The disparities persisted across gender and age groups, and went hand-in-hand with increased coronavirus infection rates. In September, the report notes, coronavirus incidence in rural counties surpassed urban counties.

From Dec. 14 to April 10, non-metropolitan counties saw 38.9 percent vaccination coverage overall, compared to 45.7% in metropolitan counties. Rural counties saw 29.1% coverage among adults 18-64 years old, compared to 37.7% in urban counties. Gender disparities persisted as well: 41.7% of rural women were covered, compared to 48.4% of urban women. Men, especially in rural areas, were some of the least likely to be vaccinated, with 35.3% of rural men covered compared to 41.9% of urban men.

Very rural residents were more likely to travel far for a vaccination than those from the biggest cities and suburbs: 14.6% of the residents in the most rural counties reported traveling to a nonadjacent county, compared to 10.3% of the most urban counties and 13.9% of suburban residents. Overall, 67.1% of vaccinated people got the jab in their county of residence, and 98.3% got it in their state of residence.

The lower vaccination rates are concerning because rural residents are at a higher risk of suffering poor outcomes, including death, from Covid-19, says the report. The CDC acknowledges the problems rural residents often face in seeking medical care, such as lack of transportation, and recommends that public-health practitioners collaborate with health-care providers, pharmacies, employers, faith leaders, and other community partners to identify and address barriers to vaccination in rural areas. A persistent rural vaccination gap could prolong the pandemic, says the report.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/3eUAASb New CDC report shows the size of rural-urban coronavirus vaccination gap since December - Entrepreneur Generations

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