July 2021
Delaware Community Health Centers Support COVID-19 Vaccination Equity
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of equity in addressing the nation’s most challenging public health issues. In February 2020, the Biden Administration improved equitable vaccine access by providing COVID-19 vaccines directly to Federally Qualified Health Centers, also known as community health centers. Community health centers across the country have made significant strides to vaccinate historically underserved communities. The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services maintains COVID-19 vaccination rates by provider type that illustrate the impact centers have as essential partners in advancing health equity.
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DELAWARE’S VACCINATION RATES BY CHANNEL (PROVIDER TYPE)
Note: Administration data includes first doses given to Delaware residents; actual doses administered are likely higher than shown due to reporting lags, data suppression, and missing race/ethnicity data Source: Population data from ACS 2019 5-year estimates; vaccine administration data from DelVAX via Green River
As of July 15, 2021, 51% of those vaccinated by Delaware’s community health centers were Hispanic or Latinx, along with 22% Black/African American, and 27% white. Delaware community health centers—Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, La Red Health Center, and Westside Family Healthcare—achieved these results by collaborating with state agencies and local partners to reach high-risk communities where they live, work, and worship. Of all Delawareans that received at least one dose of the vaccine, 8% are Hispanic, mirroring the state’s reported Hispanic/Latinx population shown below.
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DELAWARE’S VACCINATION RATES BY ETHNICITY, AGES 12 AND OLDER
Note: Administration data includes first doses given to Delaware residents; Actual doses administered are likely higher than shown due to reporting lags, data suppression, and missing race/Ethnicity data Source: Population data from ACS 2019 5-year estimates; Vaccine administration data from DelVAX via Green River
“Community health centers’ herculean response to the pandemic has not wavered,” said Nora Hoban, CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers. “The dedication and compassion centers have for their patients and communities garners the needed trust to achieve these results.”
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About Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers
As the federally designated Primary Care Association for Maryland and Delaware, the Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers (MACHC) supports 144 community health center facilities located in medically underserved communities. In 2019, Maryland and Delaware community health centers served over 390,000 patients and provided nearly 1.7 million visits. The overwhelming majority of patients are from racial/ethnic minority groups, have incomes at or below the federal poverty line, and/or are under or uninsured. Visit MACHC.COM to learn more.
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Charnay Patterson (MACHC Communications Director)
(301) 577-0097