Readers discuss equity issues in U.S. eligibility and the decision to send some of the U.S. stockpile to other countries.
To the Editor:
Re “U.S. Rushes to Expand Covid Vaccine Eligibility in a ‘Race Against Time’” (nytimes.com, March 19):
It is encouraging to read that many states are expanding eligibility for Covid-19 vaccine access. While opening vaccine availability to more people is promising, we strongly recommend that states actively ensure that people with disabilities and chronic conditions and other underserved populations are not left behind as eligibility expands.
Nationwide, significant equity gaps persist in vaccine distribution. Vaccine sites are often not easily accessible to people of color because of location or other factors, and obtaining appointments is often tied to technology access.
The ZIP code you live in should not determine your ability to access health care. Far too often, discriminators like race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, location, transportation, income and insurance status divide our communities into the haves and have-nots. During a pandemic, those gaps can be deadly.
I urge governors and states to prioritize equitably when expanding vaccine access to all, including through innovative outreach programs, like mobile clinics, community outreach, and assistance with finding and making appointments, to help more people get vaccinated.
Covid-19 may not have created health inequities, but it is absolutely shining a bright light on the challenges facing people of color in our health care system.
Randall L. Rutta
Washington
The writer is chief executive of the National Health Council, a nonprofit organization.
