When it comes to seniors receiving the COVID-19 vaccines, there’s a growing divide between those who have social support and the ability to access the internet and those who don’t, a news article finds.
While statistics on this disturbing “haves”-versus-”have-nots” trend don’t yet exist, experts quoted in a Kaiser Health News report agree that seniors with family or friends who can help them make appointments and provide rides are more likely to secure vaccine appointments than those seniors lacking such support. Also, seniors who are comfortable using the internet are booking vaccine appointments.
“Who’s going to actually get vaccines?” asked Abraham “Ab” Brody, an associate professor of nursing and medicine at New York University in the article. “Older adults who are tech-savvy, with financial resources and family members to help them, or harder-to-reach populations?”
These, Body said, include homebound seniors and low-income minorities. “If seniors of color and people living in poor neighborhoods can’t find a way to get vaccines, you’re going to see disparities that have surfaced during the pandemic widening.”
