Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Between Urban and Rural Areas

The rural-urban disparity in COVID-19 vaccination status has just about doubled since April 2021, according to the latest CDC Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. As of January 2022, 75 percent of all individuals living in urban areas had gotten the shot, compared to 59 percent of all people living in rural areas who could say the same. This disparity is likely driven by higher rates of vaccine hesitancy and less patient engagement during provider interactions, the report authors suggested. The divide also may have deepened as teens and kids saw authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine; teens and younger kids ages 5 to 11 living in urban areas were more likely to have gotten the jab than their rural counterparts.