Four months after COVID-19 brought the nation to a standstill, Americans are waking up to an inescapable reality: an uncontrolled virus is steamrolling the nation leaving death and devastation — with no end in sight. Ranking the world’s highest coronavirus death toll, chaos and confusion reign in every state of the Union. Politicians offer misleading advice and protesters challenge lockdown directives while medical experts continually warn bewildered citizens to maintain infection-mitigating behaviors.
And as the nation celebrated its Declaration of Independence, it became clear that, in the eyes of COVID-19, the proclamation “…that all men are created equal,” falls short. A July 5 New York Times article revealed, “Latino and African-American residents of the United States have been three times as likely to become infected as their white neighbors,” according to new data released by the CDC.
Across states like Florida and Arizona, communities of color are already struggling just to get tested, as the chain pharmacies and urgent care clinics selected as testing sites are often located too far away. Sometimes clinics require evidence of insurance that many do not have. Are we going to see a replication of New York’s minority communities where the virus spread rampantly? Nonprofits and foundations have had to step in to provide testing facilities, but it’s not enough. Free testing widely, without evidence of insurance, is needed right now.
While the CDC has acknowledged gaps in data, there is hope for a more comprehensive picture as race and ethnicity data become a required part of testing as of August 1. Solid demographic information can help determine the geographical areas where racial/ethnic challenges are contributing to the spread of the virus. Demographic data can also help to further assess any racial/ethnic disparities in the healthcare system for constructive development and assist in healthcare investment considerations.
The testing data will only be as good as the action that follows.
When the White House Task Force on coronavirus announced statistics showing COVID-19 is killing African Americans at higher rates than any other ethnic population, the rush to open the country accelerated. Once that demographic became known, coincidently politicians’ narrative shifted from “public health emergency” to “Black people dying is not an emergency.” The demand to reopen businesses, churches, and, now even schools have prevailed. While all lives matter, Black lives matter less.
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SOURCE: Christian Post, Antipas Harris
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