UW Health shares new data on COVID-19 vaccination equity
MADISON, Wis. - UW Health shared on Thursday, March 4 its latest data on how it is promoting COVID-19 vaccine equity.
A news release says when UW Health first began scheduling patients age 65 and older for the vaccine, it prioritized invitations to those at higher risk, including Black, Latinx and Native American patients ages 65 and older. Officials say these decisions were designed to promote vaccine equity and were based on the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee research-based guidance.
UW Health has now invited all its medically homed patients age 65 or older to receive the vaccine, and the results show early success in promoting vaccine equity:
- 50% of our Native American patients have received at least one dose of the vaccine
- Followed by 44% of our Latinx patients
- 39% of our Black patients
- And 35% of our white patients
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In addition to the prioritization of scheduling invites, a news release says UW Health is hiring vaccine patient educators who will work over the next year within the Black, Latinx and Hmong communities to proactively contact our UW Health primary care patients, providing information and support to navigate access to the vaccine as more people become eligible.