USA Today, February 12, 2021.
People of color have suffered most from COVID-19. Now that vaccines are here, they are far less likely to have received a first dose for many of the same reasons.
“If pharmacies are not available in specific neighborhoods, specifically majority-minority, majority-Black or -Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago and elsewhere, you’re going to really have disparities in COVID vaccinations,” said Dima Qato, a University of Southern California School of Pharmacy professor, who led an extensive study of pharmacy deserts in Chicago.
“It’s pretty simple: If pharmacies are playing a critical role … first with testing and now it’s with COVID vaccinations, and they’re not available or accessible in minority neighborhoods, it’s not going to make it better for these neighborhoods. It could only make it worse in terms of the COVID pandemic,” Qato said, adding that officials should bring vaccine into neighborhoods to remove transportation as a barrier.