The “heat-seeking missile” targeting African Americans
People are claiming that the coronavirus is “an equal-opportunity killer” that is blind to differences in class, wealth and race, said Charles M. Blow in The New York Times. That’s true in theory. In practice, though, Covid-19 is “screeching like a heatseeking missile towards the most vulnerable in society” – which, in the case of the US, means African Americans. Across the nation, black people have been far worse affected than the white population. As of last week, they accounted for 70% of coronavirus deaths in Louisiana, for instance, despite making up just 32% of the state’s population. In Milwaukee, they accounted for 81% of deaths and only 26% of the city’s population. In Chicago, they accounted for around 68% of deaths and 30% of the population; in Michigan, 40% and 14% respectively. The perception that coronavirus is “a jet-setters’ disease” could not be wider of the mark.
Many factors explain Covid-19’s disproportionate impact on African Americans, said Akilah Johnson and Talia Buford on ProPublica.org – all of which ultimately stem from economic marginalisation. Poverty and poor diet has left the black community more prone to asthma, diabetes, obesity and other conditions that make Covid-19 more dangerous. “In Milwaukee, simply being black means your life expectancy is 14 years shorter, on average, than someone white.” African Americans are also more likely than their white counterparts to lack health insurance, and to have jobs that can’t be done from home. “In places like New York City, black people are among the only ones still riding the subway.”
What we’re seeing here is a new example of a very old problem, said Michele L. Norris in The Washington Post – one summed up by a longstanding saying in black communities: “When white America catches a cold, black folks catch pneumonia.” But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it right now. Let’s tackle poor access to healthcare by sending rapid response teams into the most vulnerable black communities. Let’s get more masks and gloves to key workers, and launch awareness campaigns to dispel any remaining illusions that young people are immune, or that the virus only victimises the elderly. Let’s also demand all the facts, said the Los Angeles Times. Most federal officials and states are still not releasing racial data on Covid-19. America won’t take the drastic action needed to close its “shameful health disparities” until it’s “forced to face the numbers”.