News

AU Health’s Dr. Phillip Coule talks with Georgia Public Broadcasting about COVID-19 study

Man smiling
Written by Lisa Kaylor

AU Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Phillip Coule and AU Provost Dr. Neil MacKinnon, along with Drs. Diego Cuadros and DeWolfe Miller from the University of Cincinnati, published a study in JAMA Open Network analyzing vaccination rates and new COVID-19 infections by county across the United States.

The study, titled Analysis of Vaccination Rates and New COVID-19 Infections by US County, July – August 2021, found that the areas hardest hit by the pandemic were the rural areas with the lowest vaccination rates. The problem appears to be compounded by the lack of resources in those areas to deal with the increased rates of infection.

Georgia Public Broadcasting senior health care reporter Ellen Eldridge interviewed Coule about the study, which was published Feb. 10.

Click here to listen to the full report.