Spatial-temporal differences of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S.

Abstract

Although the disparities in COVID-19 outcomes have been proved, they have not been explicitly associated with COVID-19 full vaccinations. This paper examines the spatial and temporal patterns of the county-level COVID-19 case rates, fatality rates, and full vaccination rates in the United States from December 24, 2020 through September 30, 2021. Statistical and geospatial analyses show clear temporal and spatial patterns of the progression of COVID-19 outcomes and vaccinations. In the relationship between two time series, the fatality rates series was positively related to past lags of the case rates series. At the same time, case rates series and fatality rates series were negatively related to past lags of the full vaccination rates series. The lag level varies across urban and rural areas. The results of partial correlation, ordinary least squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) also confirmed that the existing COVID-19 infections and different sets of socioeconomic, healthcare access, health conditions, and environmental characteristics were independently associated with COVID-19 vaccinations over time and space. These results empirically identify the geographic health disparities with COVID-19 vaccinations and outcomes and provide the evidentiary basis for targeting pandemic recovery and public health mitigation actions.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44212-022-00019-9.