Socioeconomic Disparities and COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance: Experience from Israel

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance has a key role in mitigating the pandemic. Concern has been raised that vaccination rates will be limited in demographically defined areas of lower income. Israels rapid vaccination campaign may allow to assess these assumptions in real-world and to devise tools for effectively focusing the vaccination efforts. We analyzed the correlation between COVID-19 vaccination rates, socioeconomic status (SES) and active COVID-19 disease burden. We carried out a nationwide study, based on data provided by Ministry of Health of COVID-19 vaccination rates in all municipalities in Israel up to January 12th, 2021. Municipal Vaccination rates of population older than 60 significantly correlated with the socioeconomic status (r=0.83, 95% confidence interval [0.79 to 0.87]). Finally, we established a novel metric for focusing the vaccination efforts based on % vaccinations and active disease burden. In Israel, a case-model country for COVD-19 vaccinations, vaccination rates were strongly correlated with SES. The study findings demonstrate the need to directly target vaccination acceptance to socio-economically disadvantaged populations and suggest potential tools for policymakers to focus their efforts.