The COVID-19 vaccine shots for elementary-age children have shown another blind spot in the nation’s efforts to combat pandemic disparities: Health systems have released little data which was based on the racial breakdown of youth vaccinations, and community leaders are concerned that Black and Latino children are falling behind.

Only a few states have made the COVID-19 vaccination list according to the public race and age, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not keep track of racial breakdowns.

Despite the lack of hard data, public health officials and medical professionals are mindful of disparities and have been reaching out to communities of color to overcome vaccine hesitancy. This includes getting into schools, communicating in other languages, deploying mobile vaccine units, and assuring parents who are suspicious that the vaccine shots are safe and powerfully effective.

Public health leaders believe racial gaps are driven by work and transportation barriers, as well as lingering reluctance and information gaps. Parents without transportation will find it more difficult to get their children to and from appointments. Those who do not have flexible work schedules or paid family leave may delay vaccinating their kids because they will not be able to stay at home if their children experience minor side effects of the vaccine.

In the few places that do report child COVID-19 vaccines by race, the breakdowns vary.