With Covid, the country mobilized to reduce the racial vaccination gap — and succeeded. With many other public health problems, a similar focus could probably save lives. Racial health inequities are not inevitable. https://t.co/R2ynl6CcJE

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

Early in the pandemic, Covid’s death rate was far higher for Black and Latino Americans than for white Americans. That’s no longer true. Why? Above all, vaccination. 🧵

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

These large gaps seemed as if they might persist, especially because white and Asian Americans were initially quicker to receive vaccine shots. Black and Latino Americans, by contrast, had less convenient access to the shots and many were skeptical of them.

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

Over the past year, the Covid death rate for white Americans has been 14 percent higher than the rate for Black Americans and 72 percent higher than the Latino rate, according to the latest C.D.C. data.

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

In heavily conservative, white communities, leaders have not done as good a job explaining the vaccine’s benefits — and Covid’s risks — as leaders in Black and Latino communities. Millions of Americans, in turn, have chosen not to receive a lifesaving shot.

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

And 2) The unequal nature of underlying health conditions — and access to good care — means that a Black person remains more vulnerable on average to severe Covid than a white person of the same age, sex and vaccination status.

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

I agree with her that age is part of the story. I disagree that it overwhelms everything else.

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

(An epistemological sidenote: It’s become common, especially on the left, to describe arguments with different framing or conclusions as “misinformation.” I think that’s a mistake. “The vaccines will hurt you” is misinformation. Many other disagreements are not, on either side.)

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

On the more positive side of things: The increase in Black and Latino vaccination rates is a big success story. It serves as a reminder that rigorous, well-funded public health campaigns have the potential to narrow racial gaps. And there are many other stark racial gaps…

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022

With Covid, the country mobilized to reduce the racial vaccination gap — and succeeded. With many other public health problems, a similar focus could probably save lives. Racial health inequities are not inevitable. https://t.co/R2ynl6CcJE

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) June 9, 2022