New data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDCâ€) indicates that the divide between rural and urban areas in COVID-19 primary vaccination coverage has more than doubled in under a year. In April 2021, urban areas had 46% primary vaccination coverage among people aged 5 years and older who received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during the time period from December 14, 2020 through January 31, 2022, while rural areas hovered around 39%.[1] By January 2022, primary vaccination coverage in urban areas and rural areas increased to approximately 75% and 59%, respectively.[2] In other words, the urban/rural COVID-19 vaccination gap more than doubled in less than a year.
