Indiana gets $61M to boost COVID-19 vaccine among minorities

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is getting $60.8 million in federal funding to support efforts to get minority populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic vaccinated against COVID-19.

The funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will help programs such as door-to-door outreach to raise awareness about vaccinations or help people sign up to get vaccinated, The Indianapolis Star reported.

The money comes from pandemic relief funding approved by Congress. Indiana’s funding is part of $3 billion the CDC is distributing among 64 jurisdictions to encourage vaccination and access to vaccines for communities that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted.

While Black people comprise about 9.4% of Indiana’s population over the age of 16, Black residents comprise only about 5% of those who have been vaccinated, according to Indiana’s pandemic dashboard. Latino people comprise 6.2% of the state’s population and 2.4% of those who have been vaccinated.

Three quarters of the federal funding must go to support programs that encourage vaccine access and uptake among racial and ethnic minority communities, while 60% must support local health departments and community organizations.