Equality vs. Equity by Social Vulnerability, Race, and Ethnicity: Evidence from Randomized and Targeted Covid-19 Vaccine Invitations

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already severe racial and ethnic inequality, with Black and Hispanic communities being disproportionately affected. The development of effective vaccines against COVID-19 held the promise of ameliorating such differential effects. Economist Amanda Kowalski will evaluate the tradeoff between equality in access and equity in outcomes of a COVID-19 vaccine program run by Michigan Medicine, a large healthcare system with locations throughout Michigan and northwest Ohio. She will utilize data from Michigan Medicine, including electronic health records for her study.