RT Article
T1 Pathways to Immunity: Patterns of Excess Death Across the United States and Within Closed Religious Communities
JF Journal of religion and health
VO 62
IS 4
SP 2820
OP 2835
A1 Stein, Rachel E.
A1 Colyer, Corey
A1 Corcoran, Katie E.
A1 Mackay, Annette M.
LA English
PB Springer Science + Business Media B. V.
YR 2023
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1858710006
AB Public health officials promoted COVID-19 vaccines to limit burdens placed on the U.S. healthcare system and end the pandemic. People in some closed religious communities refused to vaccinate and likely acquired temporary immunity through infection. This paper compares the death rates in Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and conservative Mennonite groups to a rate estimated for the U.S. population. Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population was immunized against COVID-19, while few in the Amish/Mennonite community were. We find divergent patterns. Once vaccines became available, excess deaths declined in the general population and remained elevated among Amish and Mennonites. Vaccination campaigns must consider and value the cultural beliefs of closed religious communities to be effective.
K1 Amish
K1 Covid-19
K1 Closed religious communities
K1 Excess death
K1 Immunity
DO 10.1007/s10943-023-01838-z