Inequities in availability and access to adult vaccinations represent significant gaps in the US public health infrastructure. Adults in racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive routinely recommended vaccinations due to systemic barriers, distribution inequities, and lack of trust in vaccines; similar disparities were seen during early COVID-19 vaccination efforts. However, a deliberate focus on reducing disparities can yield progress. National data show narrowing of racial and ethnic adult COVID-19 vaccination coverage disparities over time, highlighting the value of the equity-focused, community-level interventions implemented during the pandemic. This paper describes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to address racial and ethnic disparities in adult immunization, and how lessons learned may be applied post-pandemic. Progress made is likely to be lost without sustained support for adult vaccination at national, state, and community levels.
Keywords: COVID-19; community-based organizations; ethnic disparities; federal funding; health equity; racial disparities; vaccine equity.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Project HOPE - The People-To-People Health Foundation, Inc. 2023.