On Mar. 4, 2022, the CDC reported that COVID-19 vaccination coverage with the first dose of the primary vaccination series was lower in rural (58.5%) than in urban counties (75.4%); disparities increased more than twofold since April 2021. Receipt of booster or additional doses was similarly low in both rural and urban counties.

Higher COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates in rural than in urban areas are well documented. Rural populations tend to be older (aged =65 years) and uninsured and are more likely to have underlying medical conditions and live farther from facilities that provide tertiary medical care, placing them at higher risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes.