In a new report from Community Marketing and Insights (CMI), The Rockefeller Foundation and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation have recently come out with the information that the vast majority of adults within the LGBTQ community have received at least one of the COVID-19 vaccines. Of the 15,042 participants surveyed, 92 percent had stated that they were fully or at least partially vaccinated. Comparatively, only 71.3 percent of adults within the U.S. general population has been vaccinated.
Senior director for CMI, David Paisley, has stated there are multiple possibilities for queer folks being more likely to receive the vaccine. These include more LGBTQ individuals are liberal and live in blue states and in cities. There is also the speculation that the extreme isolation of quarantine greatly impacted the mental health of many Americans within the LGBTQ community, so many were quick to receive their vaccine shots.
It was also noted in the report that race, ethnicity, gender, and age were contributing factors in vaccination rates. Rates among Black, LGBTQ folks were relatively high (85 percent), as were rates for AAPI LGBTQ folks (96 percent) and white, LGBTQ people (94 percent). These findings correspond with the previous studies done that highlight the disproportionate rate as to which LGBTQ communities of color are affected by the COVID-19 virus. In particular, Black, LGBTQ communities are often impacted the most by the virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting the vaccine has been proven to be the most effective course of action in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Especially now, as the highly contagious Delta variant is quickly spreading across the United States. Despite misinformation and the protest of anti-vaxxers, the vaccine works and is necessary for the protection of marginalized and more at-risk groups. Hopefully, the rest of the general population will follow the example set by the queer community and take steps to become fully vaccinated.
