COVID-19 Vaccines: Moderna And Pfizer-BioNTech Use Varied By Urban, Rural Counties
May 1, 2024
A team of researchers, including IMPACT members Daniel Harris, PhD, Ellen McCarthy, PhD, MPH, and Vincent Mor, PhD, examined geographic variations in the use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among Medicare beneficiaries throughout the US. Using a novel data set including CVS Health and Walgreens pharmacy customers linked to Medicare claims for vaccine administration, the team uncovered large county-level variation in vaccine use across the US. One notable finding was the predominance of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in urban areas, contrasted with the higher utilization of Moderna vaccines in rural regions. The authors discuss the individual and public health implications of differential distribution of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines across US counties.
Abstract
Authors investigated county-level variation in mRNA COVID-19 vaccine use among Medicare beneficiaries throughout the United States. There was greater use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines than Moderna vaccines in urban areas for first and booster doses.