Councilmen pursue task force on race, COVID-19 response

Pittsburgh City Councilmen Ricky Burgess and R. Daniel Lavelle introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at monitoring how race and equity factor into the local COVID-19 response.

The plan proposes the creation of a task force composed of elected officials from the city, county and state levels, as well as university representatives and public health officials.

“In most cities across the country African Americans have a disproportionate rate of COVID-19 infections,” Mr. Burgess said in a press release. “In Pennsylvania, African-Americans are 11% of the populations yet they account for 21% of all COVID-19 related deaths. We must begin to systematically test Black people in Pittsburgh. The COVID-19 Task force along with its community health center partners will assist in that effort.”

According to county -level data on Tuesday, 19% of Allegheny County’s 1,375 cases were among African Americans. Fifty-five percent were among whites, and 2% among the Asian population. The racial data of 23% of the cases were unknown.

The racial data on COVID-19 testing in the county are much more scarce, with the racial profiles unknown in 55% of test recipients. Thirtythree percent of recipients were identified as white, 10% as African American.

African Americans account for 13.4% of the county’s population, according to census data.

The task force would also “help coordinate resources given to the African American community both during and immediately after the pandemic to lessen its effects,” Mr. Lavelle said.

Council is expected to discuss the proposal next Wednesday.