Of 93 cities studied by WalletHub, Denver needs the seventh-least number of initial vaccinations to combat COVID-19.
WalletHub compared the cities across 13 key metrics, looking at the share of frontline health care workers, nursing home residents, essential workers, residents diagnosed with various diseases and more. Denver, ranking 87th out of 93, did particularly well due to the city’s residents being among the least obese compared to the other cities examined.
The cities that need the most initial COVID-19 vaccinations, according to WalletHub, are:
- Detroit
- Cleveland
- Birmingham
- Memphis
- Louisville
Two other Colorado cities ranked above Denver, with Aurora coming in at 77, followed by Colorado Springs at 83.
On Wednesday, the state released a revised framework for how COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed. Colorado will prioritize protecting medical personnel most at risk of exposure, and people more likely to develop severe symptoms or die from the disease.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the first phase of people will receive the vaccine this winter. Phase 1 includes health care workers in close contact with coronavirus patients and people who live and work in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes.
The study by WalletHub focuses on vulnerable groups who most need the vaccine. The groups of people the report focused on nearly match Phases 1 and 2 of Colorado’s three-phase framework. People in Colorado’s second phase can expect to receive vaccinations in the spring.
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