| The U.S. government has promised an equitable vaccine rollout that quickly reaches those most at risk of death and illness by Covid-19. So, how's that going so far? To begin to answer that question, Bloomberg this week launched a tracker that provides the most comprehensive analysis possible of who is getting shots by race and ethnicity.
Our tracker so far includes 27 states and two cities that disclose racial and ethnic breakdowns of vaccinations, and covers 68% of doses administered. We'll update it weekly and add more states and cities if they start releasing useful data — a big if. We're also grading states on the quality of their data, which varies widely, because it's impossible to know how well the U.S. is serving all of its residents without a clear picture.  Farm workers in line to receive vaccine doses at a clinic in Coachella, California. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg Still, trends are starting to emerge. Our findings suggest Black and Hispanic populations aren't getting their fair share of vaccines, even though those cohorts have some of the highest Covid illness and death rates. Some of those disparities can be explained by who qualifies for shots so far: White people are over-represented among the elderly, whereas the Hispanic population skews young.
But the data also suggest uptake rates are lower among certain groups, particularly Black people. The explanations for that are complex and layered. Health-care settings have reported issues building trust among employees of color, who have very real reasons for mistrusting the medical establishment. Meanwhile, anti-vaxxers are targeting the already hesitant with misinformation about the safety and efficacy of shots. On top of all of that, the system is easier to navigate for those with time, money and connections.
It's important to note is that it's still early and the data are incomplete. But our tracker will be continuously monitoring the country's progress as the phases include more and more people. We'll update the findings weekly. See you there! —Rebecca Greenfield
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