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Will COVID-19 vaccines work for those with obesity?

The disturbing news linking chronic disease with much higher COVID-19 risks continues: any future COVID-19 vaccine could be much less effective among the >107M Americans who are obese.  >40% of adult Americans are obese, including ~10% of teens & adults with severe obesity.

We already know that people of color are at much higher risk of being infected, hospitalized & dying from the novel coronavirus.  Closely related to this, African-, Native-, & Latino-Americans are also much more likely to be obese & have other underlying chronic conditions.  

Those hoping that vaccines could help reduce these disparities will be disappointed.  But we should have known better: for example, the flu vaccine is much less effective among people with obesity. In addition, thanks to past neglect & abuse of minority populations by those in power, non-whites are distrustful of government & less likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine, even if it is free. 

The bottom line: many political leaders have demonstrated little or no concern for communities of color & lower-incomes, now or in the past. They have ignored prevention policies & programs to reduce inactivity & unhealthy nutrition that were very effective in reducing smoking, and which would greatly reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease & other chronic conditions. These leaders will need a sustained, compelling combination of evidence & pressure to shift their focus.

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