Letter to the editor: Questionable logic in racial vaccine comparisons

The Associated Press article “In vaccine drive, racial disparities conspicuous” (Jan. 31) notes vaccination rates of Black people in several states and cities are below the percentage of Black people residing in those states and cities. With only 7% or 8% of the eligible population vaccinated to date, isn’t it way too early and too small of a sample size to draw conclusions about vaccination equity? Are the authors implying there is racial discrimination?

Guideline priorities by state tend to give highest priority to health care workers, those odler than 75 or 65, personal care home residents and essential public employees. I have not seen race used as a condition to establish vaccination priority in any state.

I have faith that the people establishing priorities in their states are trying, difficult as that is with high demand, to be as logical and fair as they can be, given limited vaccine supply. Did the three authors of this questionable logic have a racial equity agenda and were searching for numbers to justify it?

Scott Brown

Greensburg