African American Coronavirus Death Rates to Change Health Care Policies

In response to the reports and analysis from several sources nationwide that African Americans are contracting and dying of coronavirus at an alarmingly higher rate than white Americans. “Newly released data about the alarming rates of African Americans contracting and dying from exposure to the coronavirus exposes the egregious, racist systemic disparities and health policies that have always existed in communities of color. That data is valuable, but it alone will not fix the problem unless it’s used to drastically change the way health care is administered in this country. We must study that data as part of a larger effort to dismantle the barriers to health care that contribute to racial health disparities, and to change health care policies to cover the most vulnerable and most at risk. We also need protections for the millions of Americans working on the front lines right now as fast food workers, grocery store workers, sanitation workers, nurses, hospital staff and others who every day are forced to choose between their jobs and risking their health and the health of their families."