(LEX 18) — Although public figures stressed the pandemic should not be treated as a political football, it is difficult to ignore a simple truth. Health issues have become increasingly politicized.
A recent study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that "one of the main factors driving differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates across the country is partisanship."
The study, titled "The Red/Blue Divide in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates is Growing," found that Democrats are much more likely to report having been vaccinated than Republicans.
One of the most senior members of the Republican party, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), tried to appeal to hesitant Americans Tuesday and implored them to get vaccinated.
"These shots need to get in everybody's arms as rapidly as possible, or we're going to be back in a situation in the fall that we don't yearn for —that we went through last year," Sen. McConnell said at his weekly press conference at the Capitol.
"This is not complicated," he said.
President Joe Biden only carried two Kentucky counties in the 2020 Election, Jefferson, and Fayette. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those two are in the top ten for vaccination rates in Kentucky.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump's vote share more than tripled President Biden's vote count in nine of the ten counties that rank at the bottom for vaccination rates.
The patterns can also be found dating back to the gubernatorial race.
Out of the 23 counties that went for Governor Andy Beshear (D), seven are in the top ten counties for vaccination rates.
Nine of the bottom ten counties for vaccination rates voted for the former governor, Matt Bevin (R), who lost his re-election bid to Governor Beshear.
