TUESDAY, Feb. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Of those who received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose in the United States by Jan. 14, 2021, 63.0 percent were women and 60.4 percent were non-Hispanic Whites, according to research published in the Feb. 1 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Elizabeth M. Painter, Ph.D., from the CDC COVID-19 Response Team, and colleagues describe demographic characteristics of persons who received one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered during Dec. 14, 2020, to Jan. 14, 2021, and reported to the CDC by Jan. 26, 2021.
In 64 jurisdictions and five federal entities, 12,928,749 persons in the United States initiated COVID-19 vaccination during the study period. Data on sex, age, and race/ethnicity were reported for 97.0, 99.9, and 51.9 percent of vaccine recipients, respectively. The researchers found that of those who received their first vaccine dose, 63.0 percent were women, 55.0 percent were aged 50 years and older, and 60.4 percent were non-Hispanic White.
“The findings underscore the need for more complete reporting of race and ethnicity data at the provider and jurisdictional levels to ensure rapid detection of and response to potential disparities in COVID-19 vaccine administration,” the authors write. “Equitable and sustainable COVID-19 vaccine administration in all populations requires focus on groups with lower vaccine receipt who might face challenges with access or vaccine hesitancy.”
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