Young Latino and Black people have lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate in L.A. County, data show

Jamilette Mota, 17, receives her Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination from student registered nurse Josselyn Solano at a walk-up mobile COVID-19 clinic in Los Angeles on April 2021. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: May 6, 2021 / 06:50 PM PDT

Updated: May 6, 2021 / 06:50 PM PDT

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Young Latino and Black people have the lowest rate of COVID-19 vaccination among any other age, racial and ethnic group in Los Angeles County — and officials say they need to do more to make the shots easy and convenient for more people.

Only 18% of Black men and 20% of Black women between the ages of 16 and 29 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, county officials said Thursday. In the Latino community, the numbers are also low, with 24% of men and 31% of women between 16 and 29 receiving at least one dose.

By comparison, 43% of white men and 51% of white women within the same age group have received a dose, as have 57% of Asian American men and 65% of Asian American women, and 43% of Native American men and 53% of Native American women.

“We do need to work harder to ensure that there’s good information and easy access to vaccinations for our younger people,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during a news briefing.

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