The rates of COVID morbidity and mortality are the highest among people of color. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Non-Hispanic African Americans, Hispanics, and Indigenous people are almost four times more likely to be hospitalized and nearly three times more likely to die of COVID-19 than white people. Communities of color are faced with many barriers that contribute to vaccine hesitancy. These factors include medical mistrust due to systemic racism and unethical medical treatment, misinformation about the vaccine and accessibility (i.e. lack of transportation or care giver care) and availability issues (i.e. proximity to vaccine clinics). The UNCG Department of Health Education and the UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies in response to a request from Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services will be working to examine COVID-19 vaccination rates and causes for disparities. This assessment process may be used by Guilford County DHHS and related organizations to determine priorities, make improvements, or allocate resources for health messaging and better vaccine coverage especially in vulnerable populations and those with existing health disparities.
