COVID-19 And Minorities

[RANT]

There was an article on Fox News criticizing the FDA for suggesting that race might be a factor in the health disparities in minorities to stir up racism.

Fox News contributor and civil rights attorney Leo Terrell discusses the FDA prioritizing treatment based on race and Whole Foods clarifying their dress code policy

Through out history the poor were hit harder by diseases, be it the Black Death (the Bubonic plague), the 1918 Flu, smallpox, yellow fever, polio, and some of the many other diseases throughout history and there are reasons for minorities and the poor to be affected so much harder that upper income people.

What do they all have in common? It boils do to two factors, crowded living conditions, lack of healthcare.

In the article, “20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history” they say this about the Great Plague of London in 1665-1666,

The Black Death's last major outbreak in Great Britain caused a mass exodus from London, led by King Charles II. The plague started in April 1665 and spread rapidly through the hot summer months. Fleas from plague-infected rodents were one of the main causes of transmission. 

Those who could flee to their country estates could avoid the filthy rat infested streets of London with the open sewers and the polluted Thames. While those out on their country estates could breath the fresh air, had clean water and locally grow crops and meat.

The Mayo Clinic said this about the heath inequities,

Coronavirus infection by race: What's behind the health disparities?
Why are people of color more at risk of coronavirus complications?
Answer From William F. Marshall, III M.D.


Research increasingly shows that racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States.

According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people had an age-adjusted COVID-19 hospitalization rate about 5.3 times that of non-Hispanic white people. COVID-19 hospitalization rates among non-Hispanic Black people and Hispanic or Latino people were both about 4.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic white people.

While there's no evidence that people of color have genetic or other biological factors that make them more likely to be affected by COVID-19, they are more likely to have underlying health conditions. Having certain conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, increases your risk of severe illness with COVID-19. But experts also know that where people live and work affects their health. Over time, these factors lead to different health risks among racial and ethnic minority groups.

Where you live and who you live with can make it challenging to avoid getting sick with COVID-19 and get treatment. For example, racial and ethnic minority members might be more likely to live in multi-generational homes, crowded conditions and densely populated areas, such as New York City. This can make social distancing difficult.

So we see the same reasons as the Great Plague of London in 1665-1666, crowded living conditions, lack of healthcare.

Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Related to COVID-19
The Journal of the American Medical Association. (JAMA)
Leo Lopez III, MD, MHS1; Louis H. Hart III, MD1; Mitchell H. Katz, MD1
January 22, 2021


One of the most disturbing aspects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the US is the disproportionate harm that it has caused to historically marginalized groups. Black, Hispanic, and Asian people have substantially higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death compared with White people.1,2 According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Epic Health Research Network, based on data from the Epic health record system for 7 million Black patients, 5.1 million Hispanic patients, 1.4 million Asian patients, and 34.1 million White patients, as of July 20, 2020, the hospitalization rates and death rates per 10 000, respectively, were 24.6 and 5.6 for Black patients, 30.4 and 5.6 for Hispanic patients, 15.9 and 4.3 for Asian patients, and 7.4 and 2.3 for White patients.2 American Indian persons living in the US also have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

[...]

Disparities in socioeconomic conditions across racial lines have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 40 million individuals in the US filed for unemployment benefits, but Black and Hispanic individuals in particular, have experienced disproportionate job loss.7 In April 2020, at the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, national unemployment rates for Black persons (16.7%) and Hispanic persons (18.9%) were 17.6% and 33.1% higher, respectively, compared with White persons (14.2%).8 As of April 10, 2020, an estimated 6 in 10 working-aged Hispanic adults lived with someone who either lost employment, work hours on the job, or income. Food insecurity also has been an issue for many families. These challenges can have detrimental effects on downstream health outcomes.

For me I have the luxury of Zoom meetings (I don’t know if after two years of Zoom meetings that it is a luxury anymore.) and if I do have an in-person meeting I drive to meeting in my car from the suburbs and not public transportation, we are all vaccinated, and have barriers between us. While those who are “essential workers” ride elevators in crowd apartment houses, take the bus, and are exposed to the unvaccinated public. In addition, before I retired I had health insurance through my employer, most minimum wage employees do not have health insurance. When I had to be tested I went to my doctor’s office and got tested there and didn’t have to wait in line for hours.

There are so many reasons why low income workers are more susceptible diseases and they need to be addressed!

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