Tale of two cities: Vaccination rates across LA

The coronavirus slammed into Los Angeles in March 2020, and on Dec. 14, the first vaccine dose was administered to a county resident. By March 10, according to the County Department of Public Health, more than 2.7 million doses had gone into local arms, with nearly 900,000 being second doses.

The progress has been inconsistent, a result of uneven supply chains, and in some cases the need to save the scarce quantity of vaccines available for people who need a timely second dose. During the week of Feb. 19-25, about 275,000 doses were administered across the county; the apex came the following week, when 457,000 doses were dispensed.

Vaccines administered by week, first and second doses

But just as COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on certain low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, there are startling discrepancies in where the vaccines are going. 

Wealthy communities have tended to see the greatest vaccine penetration. In Cheviot Hills, 37.1% of residents have received at least one dose, the highest level in the county, according to the Department of Public Health. Bel Air has seen 34.3% of the population vaccinated. Other high-wealth Los Angeles County neighborhoods or cities with an inoculation rate north of 30% include Century City (34.2%) Beverly Hills (32%) and Pacific Palisades (30.5%)

Meanwhile, numerous lower-income neighborhoods have seen fewer than one in 10 residents receive a vaccine dose. The rate is 8.65% in Exposition Park, 8% in Compton and 7.3% in Watts. The level dips below 7% in South Los Angeles neighborhoods such as Vermont Vista (6.8%) and Florence (6.6%).

Neighborhoods with the highest and lowest vaccination levels

(See the table at the bottom of this story to find the vaccination rate in your neighborhood.) 

Different rates for different ethnic groups

Latinos, who comprise 47.6% of the county population and 52.4% of COVID-19-related deaths, have received 24.9% of the vaccines, according to the County Department of Public Health. Though 8% of the county is Black, just 5.5% of Black residents have received at least one dose. 

Local and state leaders have sought to address the inequity of distribution by ramping up mobile clinics and other programs to bring vaccines to lower-income neighborhoods. 

Approximately 70% of the more than 22,000 people who have died of COVID-19 are over the age of 64. That population was prioritized early in the vaccination rollout, and according to data from the County Department of Public Health, 59.3% of the approximately 1.4 million county residents over 65 years have been vaccinated. Nearly one-quarter of those who have received at least one dose are 30 to 49.

One surprising discrepancy concerns gender. Although women slightly outnumber men in Los Angeles County, and men account for 58.8% of COVID-related deaths, women have received approximately 1.16 million doses, more than twice the 556,000 men have received. 

Three different vaccines are currently being administered: the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which require two doses, given three to four weeks apart, and the Johnson & Johnson version, which takes only a single dose. On Monday, the county expanded the list of those eligible for vaccination, opening it to people ages 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions that exacerbate the risk of COVID-19. 

Compare the rate of doses received in your community against others with this sortable chart.

How we did it: We examined data on coronavirus vaccinations and the City of Los Angeles’ COVID-19 response from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and data documents produced by the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti. In some cases information may have changed from what was originally published.

Interested in our data? Check out the Crosstown coronavirus interactive map or email us at askus@xtown.la.