County-Level COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Social Vulnerability - United States, December 14, 2020-March 1, 2021

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Equity

Background:

• The U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program commenced in December 2020.
• COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted racial/ethnic minorities and disadvantaged populations.
• Achieving vaccine equity, prioritizing those most affected, is a key national goal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess COVID-19 vaccine coverage across different levels of social vulnerability.
• To identify disparities in vaccine access and administration based on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).

Main Methods:

• Utilized the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) with 15 indicators across four themes.
• Categorized counties into low, moderate, and high social vulnerability levels.
• Analyzed COVID-19 vaccine administration data for over 49 million residents across 49 states and DC from December 2020 to March 2021.

Main Results:

• Nationally, vaccination coverage was higher in low social vulnerability counties (15.8%) compared to high vulnerability counties (13.9%).
• The largest coverage gap was observed in the socioeconomic status theme, with 2.5 percentage points higher coverage in low vulnerability counties.
• Significant state-level variations in equity were found, with some states demonstrating equitable coverage.

Conclusions:

• Disparities in COVID-19 vaccine coverage exist based on social vulnerability.
• Continued monitoring of vaccination coverage by SVI metrics is essential for targeted public health interventions.
• Efforts must focus on achieving equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.