White Oregonians are vaccinated against COVID-19 at higher rates than many Oregonians of color. They are also less likely to contract COVID-19 than Black, Indigenous and Pacific Islander people. Earlier this year, Oregon’s Vaccine Advisory Committee was tasked with deciding which groups to prioritize in order to make vaccine distribution more equitable. Dr. Kalani Raphael, an associate professor at OHSU, represented the Oregon Pacific Islander Coalition on the committee. Musse Olol represented the Somali American Council of Oregon. They join us to talk about racial disparities in vaccine distribution and their work on the Vaccine Advisory Committee.
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