Advancing vaccination equity in the United States

There have been dramatic declines in routine vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a disproportionate drop among the most vulnerable and traditionally underserved populations. These declines and growing disparities have spurred greater focus on vaccination equity for all vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including the COVID-19 vaccine. In this brief, we describe findings from an environmental scan of the ecosystem of stakeholders supporting vaccination equity in the United States, conducted from April to September 2021. We describe how vaccination equity considerations fit and differ within the priorities of health equity policy and advocacy organizations at the national, state, and community levels (referred to as key informants), and we recommend strategies to advance vaccination equity. (author introduction)