Vermont's unique approach to COVID-19 vaccine disparities
Vermont is the only state to have named people of color as a category for vaccine rollout. Despite the success that the state has seen in narrowing the vaccination margin, questions have been raised about the legality of Vermont's unique vaccine rollout methods.
Several conservative political leaders and right-leaning publications criticized Vermont's decision to open up eligibility to all BIPOC Vermonters as a stage in their rollout plan, with conservative commentator Matt Walsh stating that the move was unconstitutional, according to an April 13 Burlington Free Press article.
Courts do not allow states to give priority to groups solely on the basis of race under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, said law professor Peter Teachout in the April 13 article.