The disparate impact of age-based COVID-19 vaccine prioritization by race/ethnicity in Denver, Colorado.

ABSTRACT: COVID-19 vaccines are an effective tool in preventing severe disease. Most states used an age-based prioritization for vaccine rollout. We examined the impact of a primarily age-based prioritization policy on reductions of severe disease in different racial and ethnic groups. We calculated age-specific rates of COVID-19 hospitalization and death by race/ethnicity in Denver, Colorado. To assess potentially averted hospitalizations and deaths by race/ethnicity, we then applied the first three phases of Colorado's primarily age-based vaccine rollout criteria to historical 2020 COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Denver, Colorado. In the first 3 phases, 40% (1403/3473) of hospitalizations and 83% (503/604) of deaths occurred among those meeting age and long-term care facility criteria and

SUBMITTER: Aiona K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9306219 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature