CDC sends an additional $24 million to Utah to help COVID-19 disparities

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded the Utah Department of Health $24,137,217 to address COVID-19-related health disparities. The funding, part of a $2.25 billion nationwide effort, seeks to advance health equity by expanding state, local, U.S. territorial and freely associated state health department capacity and services. This is CDC’s largest investment to date to improve health equity in the United States, the agency said in a release.

“These grants demonstrate our steadfast commitment to keeping equity at the center of everything we do,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky. “They are an important step in our unwavering efforts to strengthen our communities’ readiness for public health emergencies — and to helping everyone in America have equal opportunities for health.”

The intended outcomes of these grants are to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities; improve and increase testing and contact tracing among populations that are at higher risk and are underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities; and improve local health department capacity and services to prevent and control COVID-19 infection.

“The pandemic has laid bare longstanding health inequities and health departments are on the front line of efforts to address those inequities,” said Dr. José T. Montero, director of CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support. “These grants will provide these health departments with much-needed support to address disparities in communities that need it most.”

“To stop the spread of COVID-19 and move toward greater health equity, CDC continues to work with populations at higher risk, underserved and disproportionately affected to ensure resources are available to maintain and manage physical and mental health, including easy access to information, affordable testing, and medical and mental healthcare,” the agency said.

The initiative is funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021.