BALTIMORE — While coronavirus cases continue to increase in the United States, Baltimore's vaccination rate put's them in good company among other U.S jurisdictions.
Baltimore City reported higher vaccinated coverage compared to other jurisdictions with "semi-urban, mid/low socioeconomic status."
Jurisdictions were grouped based off of characteristics including, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, age, marital status, employment status, sex, and health insurance status.
According to Dr. Kyu Han Lee, a research associate, and Dr. Melissa Marx, assistant professor of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore ranks in the top three percent of U.S jurisdictions with similar characteristics when it comes to vaccination rates with 60 percent of the 12+ population vaccinated.
"Compared to most other counties in its group, Baltimore City has experienced fewer COVID cases, less mortality, and more vaccination, said Dr. Kyu Han Lee, the lead author of the study.
The city is also ranked in the lowest 20 percent for cumulative COVID-19 incident rate with lower than 265 of 326 jurisdictions and lowest 30 percent for mortality rate with lower than 237 of 326 jurisdictions.
However, Baltimore City experienced spikes in the spring of 2020 and the spring of 2021 that exceeded most other jurisdictions.
“The analysis by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that Baltimore’s equitable approach towards confronting COVID-19 is working,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott.
Despite the spike in cases during the spring, Baltimore City continues to climb in terms of week-by-week vaccination percentage for adults and older adults across local jurisdictions in Maryland.