Experts in the News

Although African-American and Latino communities have been hit hardest by COVID-19 in Texas, they are being vaccinated at a much slower pace — in part because of the decision to administer doses through hospital systems, said health economics fellow Vivian Ho. "If you’re insured, which means you’re more likely to be white, then it was easy for them to sign you up. But once you’re done with that, you have got to pivot."

The vaccination gap between whiter, more conservative Texas counties and the state average may not be cause for concern yet, said health economics fellow Vivian Ho, but there is potential for it to widen. "If, for instance, only 50% of people in outlier counties are vaccinated, they will continually be subject to superspreader events that will overwhelm the weakest components of the state’s health care infrastructure."

Although Texans 16 and over are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we’re not out of the woods yet, said health economics fellow Vivian Ho. “We do have a problem of disparity — people who don’t have access to the internet and good transportation are at a disadvantage,” as are the uninsured, who don’t have convenient access to the vaccine through their doctor. ”It’s not enough to widen the criteria. What we need to do is put more resources and creativity into delivering vaccines" in such communities, said Ho.

The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is "a real game-changer" because it only requires one dose, said Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics.

Vaccinated seniors are about to start going out again, and that could boost Texas' economy. Health economics fellow Vivian Ho discussed this and more.