How Centuries of Injustice and Ongoing Inequity Makes COVID-19 More Lethal for People of Color
There has been extensive news coverage highlighting the ways that people of color have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A primary reason for their increased susceptibility and worse outcomes is related to the chronic effects of systemic racism and racist policies. The interview at left from the New York Times podcast, The Daily, interviews journalist Linda Villarosa who provides an excellent overview of the issue.
“Even though Covid-19 disproportionately affects black Americans, when physicians describing its manifestations have presented images of dermatologic effects, black skin has not been included. The ‘Covid toes’ have all been pink and white.”
It's not obesity. It's slavery. We know why Covid-19 is killing so many black people.
Racial Health Disparities and Covid-19 — Caution and Context
Why are Blacks dying at higher rates from COVID-19?
Coronavirus has been devastating to the Navajo Nation, and help for a complex fight has been slow
Undocumented U.S. Immigrants and Covid-19
Covid-19 Is Sweeping Through the Navajo Nation
For Native Americans, COVID-19 is ‘the worst of both worlds at the same time’
COVID-19's distinctive footprint on immigrants in the United States
“The ‘irresponsible behavior of disproportionately poor people of color’ — often cited as an important factor in health disparities — is a scapegoat directing American’s attention from the centrality of systemic racism in current racial health inequities.”
Coronavirus as Opportunity for Change
The unique circumstances of a once in a lifetime global pandemic provides opportunities for systemic change that might not be considered under other circumstances. The New York time article, As Coronavirus Deepens Inequality, Inequality Worsens Its Spread, notes that influenza research has shown us “in an epidemic, poverty and inequality can exacerbate rates of transmission and mortality for everyone.“
COVID-19 and Anti-Asian Racism
The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council webpage provides a location to report incidents of micro-aggressions, bullying, harassment, hate speech, or violence to help them track the recent uptick in racist events and work to prevent future incidents..
This article from Vox, How the coronavirus is surfacing America’s deep-seated anti-Asian biases, presents the current situation in the context of historical anti-Asian racism.
Numerous sources have reported on the increasing incidents of racism against Asian-American healthcare workers:
“The virus itself does not care about racial or ethnic categories, social or economic class, or immigrant status. The virus is random, but the differential susceptibility to COVID-19 across groups in the U.S. is predictable. The effects of the virus — whether the direct risk of infection or the associated economic, health and psychological impacts — is predetermined by policy decisions made at all levels. ”
Podcasts
Resources
Belanger MJ, Hill MA, Angelidi AM, Dalamaga M, Sowers JR, Mantzoros CS. Covid-19 and Disparities in Nutrition and Obesity. NEJM. July 15, 2020 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2021264.