Data And Door Knocking

Chicago IL

04 March, 2021

4:36 PM

Description

Tradeoffs March 4, 2021 White Americans are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at higher rates than Black and Latino people, even though communities of color have been hit hardest by the pandemic. We explore how Chicago is tackling this problem and what other city's can learn from their efforts. Listen to the full episode below, read the transcript, or scroll down for more information. If you want more deep dives into health policy research, check out our Research Corner and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Problem: Racial Disparities in COVID-19 VaccinationsEven though Black and Latino Americans are more likely to contract and die from COVID-19 compared to white Americans, they have been vaccinated at much lower rates. These disparities are driven by various factors including: Older Americans — who are at the top of many vaccination priority lists — are more likely to be white. Many vaccine registration systems are online, and Black and Latino people are less likely to have internet access. Black and Latino adults report being more hesitant about being among the first to get the COVID vaccine, although that hesitancy continues to shrink. Lack of data is also an issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only has race and ethnicity data for about half of people who have received at least one vaccine dose so far. Data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Black 12% of cases 15% of deaths 6% of vaccines Latino 21% of cases 12% of deaths 7.4% of vaccines One City's Solution: Chicago In the early weeks of vaccine distribution in Chicago, only 18% of doses went to Black or Latino people, even though they account for 59% of the city's population and have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. In response, city leaders took a series of steps that have helped them administer more than half of doses in recent weeks to Black and Latino Chicagoans. Data In January, city health officials pulled together data on risk factors including poverty, crowded housing, access to health care, occupation and COVID rates to rank Chicago's neighborhoods in a COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index. They are now using the index to prioritize resources for the most vulnerable neighborhoods — which are predominantly Black and Latino — including distributing thousands of doses a week for eight weeks to the top 15 neighborhoods. Community Partnerships Throughout the pandemic, Chicago health officials have worked closely with nonprofits and faith-based organizations to solicit ideas and provide resources to Black and Latino communities. The city is now partnering with community groups to organize the vaccine clinics in the 15 priority neighborhoods. "What we have basically said is we will provide the vaccine. We will figure out the logistics. We'll hook up with the health care providers. You tell us where, you tell us who," says Chicago Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady. Removing Barriers As opposed to using an online sign-up process, volunteers in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood — the first of the 15 high-need communities to start vaccinating — have made phone calls, sent texts, knocked on doors and gone into small businesses to register 2,000 people each week for weekend vaccine clinics at the local high school, a trusted location in the neighborhood. The city is also allowing anyone over the age of 18 to get vaccinated in these 15 neighborhoods, regardless of health status. While experts say Chicago's approach could be a model for other jurisdictions looking to address racial disparities in vaccines, the city does have a unique advantage — out of more than 3,000 local health departments across the country, it is one of only five that is receiving vaccine doses and funding directly from the federal government as opposed to going through their state governments. This allows them greater flexibility and discretion in setting their public health agenda that other communities don't have. Even with this flexibility and good intentions, the system is not perfect. Despite targeted resources and support, Belmont Cragin remained a COVID-19 hotspot throughout 2020. Vulnerable neighborhoods not included in the top 15 argue they need targeted support too, and while the rest of Illinois has expanded eligibility to adults under 65 with underlying conditions like cancer and diabetes, Chicago says it is does not have enough supply to start vaccinating those people. "I say no 100 times a day right now to a lot of providers, communities, individuals, about all things related to vaccine. I have to say no so that we can say yes to these [equity] initiatives," says Commissioner Arwady. Tradeoffs is a new podcast exploring our confusing, costly, and often counterintuitive health care system. We go beyond the problems, delving into the pros, cons, and consequences of potential solutions. Our mission is to help people on Main Street, Wall Street, and Capitol Hill have smarter, more honest health policy conversations.