Covid 19 has disproportionately affected people of color across the nation. According to the CDC there is a consistent pattern across states of Black and Hispanic people receiving smaller shares of vaccinations compared to their shares of cases and deaths and compared to their shares of the total population. Specifically in the state of Illinois, there is a huge disparity in vaccine distribution among the different demographics and the numbers are more glaring when you dive into cases and deaths.

Black and Hispanic Illinoisians are getting vaccinated at half the rate of white people.

In Illinois, White people received a higher share of vaccinations compared to their share of cases, deaths, and their share in total population in the state. For example, over 68% of the vaccinations were received by white people, while they make up 60% of the population. Black people make up 13 % of the population but received only 8% of vaccinations. The Latin X population is nearly 18% and they have received 10% of the vaccinations. On the other hand, the Asian population is nearly identical making up 5% of the population and also receiving 5% of the vaccinations. Granted, in other states like Colorado there is a larger gap with 82% of the vaccinated population being white while only being 68% of the population. Regardless, it is a significant enough difference, especially when it comes to deaths reported.

The Black and Latin X populations are dying at higher rates than the White and Asian populations. 8% of the vaccinations were received by Black people whereas they were 20% of deaths while only being 13% of the population. The Latin X community follows this trend. While accounting for nearly 17% of the deaths, they have received just 10% of vaccinations. The disparity is evident. But what is causing it? The facts are that “people with underlying conditions are disproportionately low-income and nonwhite,” said Gov. J.B Pritzker.

In addition to underlying conditions among low-income and nonwhite people, there is also the factor of a language barrier. Illinois’ state vaccination plan deploys federal disaster teams and the Covid-19 mitigation awareness campaign, which focuses “on reducing hesitancy and sharing facts in multiple languages.” Arguably, language barriers are just as dangerous and potentially just as harmful as underlying conditions based on the fact that you are unable to receive full information on a subject.

Pharmacy Deserts Make it Difficult to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

There are multiple factors that contribute to the health and well being of people of color. However, there are just as many factors that explain the lack of resources provided and hesitancy to accept those resources if any. An article from the Chicago Tribune reports that the U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, who represents heavily Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago and Cook County, blamed the disparity on “long-standing, systemic inequities … including hospital and pharmacy deserts, language barriers, and fears of deportation when seeking medical assistance.” Specifically in neighborhoods in Chicago and Cook County, residents cannot prioritize their health, it is nearly impossible to.

Pharmacy deserts in Chicago are hitting Black and Brown communities harder than others. MSN’s data analysis team, the I-Team, found that there are fewer pharmacies on the South and West Sides than in the North Side neighborhoods. Those same South and West side communities are where we find a majority of those Black and Brown communities while the North Side tends to have a majority white population. “It’s an attack on the poor,” said State Rep. Ford La Shawn Ford, (D) Chicago. It is important to note that “Black and Brown” is not synonymous with “poor,” however when we talk about these specific communities income disparity is a factor, but it only tells a part of the story.

When one of the few ways to receive a vaccination is through those same pharmacies, it creates more obstacles for people to get the help they need. According to ABC Chicago, Chicago’s cook county has 395 pharmacies. There are five areas of the city with less than one pharmacy per 10,000 residents and three of them you can find on the South side.

It would not be a stretch to suggest that the disparity we see in COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations between people of color is directly related to the hospital and pharmacy deserts we see in their neighborhoods and communities.

Chicago’s Rush University Medical center is at the forefront of tackling this virus and taking care of Chicago’s most vulnerable patients. According to the Washington Post, this hospital was “Built for a Pandemic.” Emily Hunter, who is in her third year working at Rush describes working in a hospital at this time as “the most difficult time of her life.” Early on in the Pandemic, so many people needed care and there was just no way to take care of everybody. Hunter describes this as “simply heartbreaking.” “A lot of people came in and we were their last resort,” says Hunter. She adds that, “there were families that had to travel all across the city just to receive the care they needed.”

It is simply the reality that not everybody has access to care whether that be because of insurance difficulties, having to travel across the city, or the fact that they cannot afford to take time off of work. Pascale Gontard, a teacher at a Chicago Private school describes the experience of having to work throughout the whole pandemic. “We were probably one of the last schools to close and one of the first to open back up.” Parents were in desperate need of somebody to take care of their children while they still had to work. “We have a majority of lower income families at our school. Families with essential workers, they could not afford to just stay home,” says Gontard. In these communities there is a constant cycle of trying to put the health and wellbeing of your family first, but in order to do that you must also risk your health.

Vaccine Implications Moving Forward

In addition to lack of access to the vaccine, there is also a skepticism towards it. Some people simply just do not trust it whether that be due to lack of information, knowledge, or wrongs of the past with the healthcare system. However, as the world continues to open back up, vaccines are starting to become mandatory. According to the CDC, Illinois has established covid vaccination requirements for public and private school children. What does this mean? Gontard has this to say: “It means hope for those who are seeking vaccination. For those that are skeptical, there has to be a huge education process to eliminate those perceived risks.” Those risks include long term effects. “What you hope people realize is that it is better to take the vaccine because it reduces the number of people who need ventilators. For the collective it is better.” The consensus seems to be that if we truly want to move forward we must change the mindset towards vaccines.

Attempting to navigate through a pandemic is hard enough without adding the additional obstacles we see people facing in these communities. In a perfect world, there are no healthcare disparities and everything is fair in equal. In reality, that is not the case. If we truly want to eliminate the pattern of people of color receiving less, investments must be made into their communities. They must be made and kept a priority. Hospital and Pharmacy deserts are all a piece of the puzzle but to make an even bigger impact we must consider other elements like limited schools and grocery stores in a community as well. They all intersect with each other and help explain why the pandemic is hitting harder for some than others. The system is fragmented and people are getting left behind, there has been no better time to take a step back and evaluate how to fix it.