LAS VEGAS —Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has introduced a new initiative aimed at addressing disparities in the distribution of coronavirus vaccinations in Clark County, officials said.
Sisolak, a Democrat, said Friday the Equity and Fairness Initiative was created to get vaccines to the communities that need them most — including working class families, low-income households and people of color.
"Equity and fairness requires an intentional effort to reach every community and not create a situation where those who have been disproportionately impacted by this virus are left behind – including the elderly and our frontline workers," he said.
Sisolak said he was alarmed at what he characterized as an "equity crisis" in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas.
He referred to data from the Southern Nevada Health District and other sources that showed the Nevada zip codes with the highest number of confirmed infection cases have the lowest frequency of vaccinations.
Sisolak also said the state's vaccination guide, which prioritizes the order for demographic groups to receive shots, is not being followed, causing confusion and resulting in unfair vaccine allocation.
"It's critical that the Nevada Vaccine Playbook is followed to support equitable vaccine distribution. While substantial progress has been made to ensure doses are being administered, challenges still remain," he said.
The state is expected to work with Clark County Emergency Management and Southern Nevada Health District under the new initiative "to clarify prioritization lanes, support fair access to vaccines through site selection, and equitable allocation across communities."
Progress is expected to be reported publicly to the state's COVID-19 Mitigation Task Force.
