Study shows racial, ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates

COVID-19 vaccination rates for some ethnic and racial groups lagged behind Minnesota’s white population, according to a recent study.

A study by the Minnesota School of Public Health State Health Access Data Assistance Center shows it took nearly twice as long to get the state’s Black and Latino populations to 50% fully vaccinated as it did the state’s white population. The study also showed it two-and-a-half times longer to vaccinate the state’s American Indian and Alaska Native population as the white population. 

The study does show that by the end of 2022, vaccination rates among different populations were roughly the same. The exception being the American Indian population which still lagged behind. 

Other findings from the study include: 

  • It took eight months to vaccinate 50% of young adults
  • 50% of elderly Minnesotans were vaccinated in the first three months of the rollout.
  • 50% of urban/suburban residents were vaccinated within five months of the rollout, compared nine months for small town communities and twelve months for exurban and rural communities.