Why racial disparities in vaccinating kids are hard to track

The rollout of COVID-19 shots for elementary-age children has exposed another blind spot in the nation's efforts to address pandemic inequalities. Health systems have released little data on the racial breakdown of youth vaccinations, and community leaders fear that Black and Latino kids are falling behind. Only a handful of states have made public data on COVID-19 vaccinations by race and age. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not compile racial breakdowns either. Despite the lack of hard data, public health officials and medical professionals have been reaching out to communities of color to overcome vaccine hesitancy.

Multiple hospitals denying organ transplants to unvaccinated patients

A few hospital systems across the United States are denying organ transplants to patients who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 “in almost all situations,” citing studies that show unvaccinated patients have a significantly higher risk for severe illness and death.

Unvaccinated teachers, health care workers lament loss of employment

New York City school teachers and state healthcare workers who didn't get the coronavirus vaccine are now out of a job. They're frustrated that they lost their employment. But the CDC and state and local officials are clear about the need to fight the pandemic.

US hospitals brace for next possible COVID-19 surge

The United States has reached its latest heartbreaking pandemic milestone, eclipsing 700,000 deaths from COVID-19 just as the surge from the delta variant is starting to slow down and give overwhelmed hospitals some relief.