Many youthful individuals in high-income New York Metropolis neighborhoods accessed COVID-19 vaccinations earlier than they had been eligible, risking the lives of older individuals in low-income areas by pushing them down the queue, in accordance with analysis within the Journal of City Well being.
Led by researchers on the College of Witwatersrand in South Africa and Columbia College, the research used linked information from the Census Bureau and New York Metropolis Well being.
Beginning on December 14, 2020, New York administered vaccines to high-risk hospital employees, increasing to adults 70 years and older on January 4, 2021, 60 and older on March 10, 50 and older on March 23, and people 30 and older on March 30.
Older age biggest danger issue for COVID loss of life
Within the first 3 months of COVID-19 vaccine availability, low-income neighborhoods with greater percentages of individuals 65 years and older had decrease vaccine protection (common vaccination fee, 52.8%; most protection, 67.9%) than higher-income areas (common vaccination fee, 74.6%; most protection within the wealthiest quintile, 99%). Over the 12 months, low-income areas additionally had greater loss of life charges.
If New York had centered restricted vaccine provide on low-income areas with excessive proportions of residents 65 or older, total mortality might need been decrease.
Regardless of restricted vaccine availability, many youthful individuals—particularly in high-income neighborhoods—jumped the queue to get vaccinated earlier than they had been eligible (common protection, 60% amongst residents 45 to 64 years in essentially the most prosperous quintile). A 12 months later, when vaccines had been broadly out there, older residents’ median vaccine uptake was 87%, together with within the poorest space.
“Our evaluation offers clear proof of why U.S. policymakers should goal their distribution strategy to offering entry to lifesaving applied sciences briefly provide, focusing first on these most prone to extreme morbidity and mortality,” lead writer Nina Schwalbe, of Columbia College, mentioned in a Columbia information launch.
The best danger issue for COVID-19 loss of life was older age, the authors famous.
“When rolling out a brand new vaccine, policymakers should account for native contexts and situations of high-risk inhabitants teams,” they wrote. “If New York had centered restricted vaccine provide on low-income areas with excessive proportions of residents 65 or older, total mortality might need been decrease.”
