D.C. health officials will release racial demographic information of people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, as criticism grows that poor and predominantly Black neighborhoods hard-hit by the pandemic are facing hurdles to getting immunized.

Dr. Laquandra Nesbitt, director of the D.C. Department of Health, said the city will start making the information publicly available next week. The city has provided a ward-level breakdown of vaccine distribution, which shows residents in mostly wealthy and white areas of the city have received a disproportionate amount of vaccine doses, despite experiencing some of the lowest infection rates. 

“We have been focused on reaching the vulnerable populations of racial and ethnic minorities from the outset,” Nesbitt said at a Thursday news conference. “We are absolutely focused on equity and access.”

Citywide, Black people make up 46 percent of the total population, according to U.S. Census data, but 74 percent of COVID-19 deaths. Hispanic residents make up 11 percent of the population and 12 percent of deaths. White people make up 46 percent of the population and 11 percent of deaths.

Nesbitt said it has been “tremendously challenging” getting vaccine providers to collect and record racial demographic information on who is getting immunized.

She said 28 percent of people who have received the vaccine in the city are white and 15 percent are Black. The rest of the information is incomplete — the remaining data has been recorded as “unknown” or “other.” 

The health director said the city is working to improve its data collection, a problem that has ensnared jurisdictions across the country. 

She added the city has undertaken several steps to increase vaccine accessibility, working with community organizations that serve vulnerable populations to raise awareness. D.C. has also ramped up staffing so there are more city workers available to help residents book appointments by phone instead of an online portal. 

Earlier this month, as city officials broadened vaccine eligibility to people over the age of 65, residents reported technical trouble as they tried to sign up for an appointment. The slots filled up within hours, with residents in the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods nabbing an outsize portion of spots. 

After criticism from some D.C. councilmembers, city health officials made more appointments available for residents in parts of the city that secured the fewest vaccine appointments. The city also started making appointments for residents in high-priority zip codes available a day before all other eligible residents. 

The District has administered 51,421 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, about 75 percent of its supply. President Joe Biden has promised to increase D.C.’s supply over the next few weeks, as demand for the vaccine in the city outpaces its availability.