Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
Counties in Ohio with the highest incomes also have the highest vaccination rates, according to analysis from The Columbus Dispatch (Source: “Wealthier Ohio counties more likely to Have Higher COVID Vaccination Rates,” The Columbus Dispatch, April 19, 2021).
The Columbus Dispatch found a 27-percentage point difference in vaccination rates between Ohio’s wealthiest and poorest counties. Delaware County, the wealthiest county in the state, is also the most vaccinated against COVID-19.
The connection does not come as a surprise to most experts who see it as a result of long-term disparities in health care.
In Ohio, vaccines were distributed to each county mostly based on population and a few risk factors. But the state didn’t require Ohioans to get their shots in their counties of residence, meaning people with the time and the means could travel to get vaccinated.
People with more flexibility in their jobs tend to make more money and have good access to transportation, said Health Policy Institute of Ohio President Amy Rohling McGee. That translates to more access to COVID-19 shots and health care services as a whole, she said.