CHET Core Faculty Publish Op-Ed on COVID-19 Vaccine Equity

Anita F. Fernander, Ph.D., ABPBC Diplomate/Fellow, Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and Chair of CHET's Core Faculty, and Lovoria B. Williams PhD, APRN-BC,FAANP, FAAN, Associate Professor in the College of Nursing and CHET Core Faculty member recently penned an op-ed for the Lexington Herald-Leader on February 11, 2021 entitled "The same Ky. communities most harmed by COVID-19 now face a lack of vaccine access." A brief excerpt and links to the full article are below.

"We are now at a period in the pandemic where COVID-19 has infected over 27 million individuals, and resulted in over 465,000 deaths in the U.S (30,569 cases and 211 deaths in Lexington-Fayette County). The rapid development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines is anticipated to be a critical force in slowing infection rates and subsequent loss of life.

But despite all this, we now see that the same communities most adversely impacted by COVID-19 are facing a lack of vaccine access. A recent study found that white Americans are being vaccinated at a rate three times higher than African Americans. A recent NY Times article reported that in cities nationwide white wealthy residents are disproportionately receiving more vaccinations, even when vaccination distribution centers are located in poor non-white neighborhoods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that of those who have received at least the first dose of a vaccine, 5.4 percent are African American, compared to 60 percent who are white American. On Feb. 8, Governor Beshear reported that of the 352,888 Kentuckians who had received the first dose, only 4.3 percent (16,570) were African American.

While the Lexington-Fayette County Government vaccine distribution website documented that as of Monday, Feb. 8, eighty-three thousand four-hundred total doses had been administered in Fayette County, no data is provided that details who is receiving the vaccine. Well-organized mass vaccinations are being administered at the following locations: the Kentucky Horse Park, the University of Kentucky’s Kroeger Field, the Lexington VA on the University of Kentucky’s campus, and the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. Of note, with the exception of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, no other vaccine distribution centers are near communities that have a high density of African Americans, a population at high risk for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality."

You can read more, including Dr. Fernader's and Dr. Williams' recommendations at the link or attachment below:

https://www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-ed/article249182620.html