By: Joy Emenyonu, Student Intern Colorado Black Health Collaborative
According to research collected by Our World in Data, the state of Colorado has seen over 6.33 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered. This means that just over half of Colorado’s entire population is vaccinated, with more and more people getting vaccinated everyday. Many people who have gotten vaccinated have done so, because of the COVID-19 incentives that appear to be everywhere. It started out with Krispy Kreme offering vaccinated people free donuts, and went as far as the Governor Polis awarding one million dollars to 5 randomly selected people who got vaccinated. The efficacy of this however is questioned because according to an article by the Denver Post, vaccination rates dropped by two thirds after Polis’ announcement.
The misconception surrounding vaccination rates is that many people are not getting vaccinated out of fear or not trusting the science. This may be the case for some, but there is a greater conversation to be had about access. While COVID vaccines are available at many pharmacies, doctor’s offices etc., vaccines can still be inaccessible because of limited location hours, transportation, work availability, and other factors. As quoted in an American Medical Association article by Brenden Murphy, Dr. Freiden, the CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, “We can make a lot of progress by making vaccination more convenient.” Put differently, more people would get vaccinated if it was more readily available. Many people work the same hours that many pharmacies and vaccine distribution centers are open, and considering that millions of Americans are 1 missed paycheck away from homelessness or other financial complications, taking off work to get vaccinated is not a luxury that most can afford. This is especially true for black and brown people, who according to the U.S Census, already have increased rates of poverty and job insecurity.
My dad is a mechanic who works Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm, often later. With most pharmacies and vaccine centers near us being closed outside of my dad’s work hours, my dad has not been able to find a time and place to get vaccinated. He had COVID-19 in November of 2020 and it was probably the sickest he has ever been in his life. He has every reason to want to get vaccinated but finding a time for him to do so was difficult.
I myself was able to get vaccinated back in April because my university provided me with a wide variety of times and dates for appointments as well as transportation to and from the vaccine site. Every need that I could have had regarding my ability to get vaccinated was met. I can only imagine how many others would get vaccinated if it was that easy.