Older adults with limited English proficiency need equitable COVID-19 vaccine access
Joseph R. Fuchs BS
Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJeffrey W. Fuchs BS
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSarah E. Tietz MD
Division of Geriatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Hillary D. Lum MD, PhD
Division of Geriatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
VA Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Correspondence
Hillary D. Lum, MD, PhD, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Ave., Mail Box B179, Aurora, CO 80045.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph R. Fuchs BS
Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJeffrey W. Fuchs BS
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSarah E. Tietz MD
Division of Geriatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Hillary D. Lum MD, PhD
Division of Geriatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
VA Eastern Colorado Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Correspondence
Hillary D. Lum, MD, PhD, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Ave., Mail Box B179, Aurora, CO 80045.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: Illinois Department of Public Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors report no conflicts of interest related to this work.
REFERENCES
- 1COVID-19 Map. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (online). https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Accessed January 19, 2021.
- 2Essien UR, Venkataramani A. Data and policy solutions to address racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Health Forum. 2020; 1. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2020.0535 [Epub ahead of print].
10.1001/jamahealthforum.2020.0535 Google Scholar
- 3Yancy CW. COVID-19 and African Americans. JAMA. 2020; 323(19): 1891-1892. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.6548.
- 4Tai DBG, Shah A, Doubeni CA, Wieland ML. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Clin Infect Dis. 2020; 72(4):703-706. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa815 [Epub ahead of print].
- 5Provisional Death Counts for Coronavirus Disease 2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (online). https://wwwcdcgov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/indexhtm#AgeAndSex. Accessed January 18, 2021.
- 6ACS 5-Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau (online). https://data.census.gov/mdat/#/search?ds=ACSPUMS5Y2019&cv=ENG&wt=PWGTP. Accessed January 19, 2021.
- 7Green AR, Nye C. Language-based inequity in health care: who is the “poor historian”? AMA J Ethics. 2017; 19(3): 263-271. https://doi.org/10.1001/journaofethics.2017.19.3.medu1-1703.
- 8Rozenfeld Y, Beam J, Maier H, et al. A model of disparities: risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection. Int J Equity Health. 2020; 19(1): 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01242-z.
- 9The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Updated Interim Recommendation for Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (online). https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm695152e2.htm?s_cid=mm695152e2_w. Accessed January 19, 2021.
- 10COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Plan. Illinois Department of Public Health (online). https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-distribution. Accessed January 18, 2021.
- 11Petrella D, Schencker L, Pratt G. Illinois will Make Coronavirus Vaccine Available to Residents 65 and Older in Next Phase of Inoculations; Chicago Sticking With Federal Guideline of 75. Chicago Tribune (online). https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-vaccine-20210106-5u4wkjedrjdnfofsyn7a6qfu7q-story.html. Accessed January 18, 2021.
- 12Heath S. What Role Will the Patient Portal Play in COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts? Patient Engagement HIT (online). https://patientengagementhit.com/news/what-role-will-the-patient-portal-play-in-covid-19-vaccine-efforts. Accessed January 21, 2021.
- 13Gavin K. 45% of Adults Over 65 Lack Online Medical Accounts, Which Could Affect COVID-19 Vaccination. University of Michigan Health Lab (online). https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/health-tech/45-of-adults-over-65-lack-online-medical-accounts-which-could-affect-covid-19. Accessed January 18, 2021.
- 14Mook PJ, Trickey AW, Krakowski KE, et al. Exploration of portal activation by patients in a healthcare system. Comput Inform Nurs. 2018; 36(1): 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000392.
- 15Kim G, Worley CB, Allen RS, et al. Vulnerability of older Latino and Asian immigrants with limited English proficiency. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011; 59(7): 1246-1252. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03483.x.
- 16COVID-19 Vaccines. US Food and Drug Administration (online). https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines. Accessed January 19, 2021.
- 17COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Trends in the US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker. Accessed January 18, 2021.