Familiar 'crescent & wedge' disparity playing out in Mecklenburg COVID-19 data, health officials see

Many Charlotteans are familiar with what has been called the "crescent and wedge" dynamic.

If you look at the shape of the city and how certain socioeconomic disparities play out, there is typically a wedge-shaped region of affluence in south Charlotte and a northern crescent-shaped region, largely marked by lesser means.

Usually, this dynamic is applied to income, poverty, food insecurity, and access to resources. However, it is playing out in the COVID-19 trends, and health officials are seeking solutions for this problem.

The latest Mecklenburg County COVID-19 data shows the crescent and wedge trend emerging in vaccination rates and COVID-19 cases per capita. The neighborhoods with the highest rates are in the so-called wedge of affluence in the south, where roughly 70 to 90% of people there are vaccinated.