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Covid 19 and Racial Disparities
Definitions
World Health Organization (WHO) defines an epidemic as the sudden occurrence of a disease in a region or a community leading to loss of lives. On the other hand, a pandemic is the spread of a disease across intercontinental borders at a fast speed involving loss of lives. The difference between an epidemic and a pandemic is the scale or scope. A pandemic is widespread, while an epidemic occurs in a region or community. Corona, commonly referred to as Covid 19, has claimed 218,511 American lives and infected 8,081,489 USA citizens. Following the reopening of the economy, we have 386,726 new infections (Statista.com). This spike in infections, scientists say, is due to a decline in observing social distancing and failure to wear masks. As the pandemic continues to take more lives, African American deaths continue to rise to bring forth the health disparities existing in the U.S. healthcare system.
Article Summary
Louis et al., in the article Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Racial Disparities: A Perspective Analysis, have a few points on the COVID 19 situation among African Americans in the USA. African Americans are a minority group that historically have low access to quality medical care. This article paints how disadvantaged African Americans are so that their COVID 19 fatalities are way higher than those of whites and Hispanics. The article explains onset, transmission, how the virus behaves, and how long it stays alive.
Covid 19
Covid 19 disease began in Wuhan, China. Corona was transmitted to the world by traveling infected persons. It is airborne and can survive on surfaces longer than two hours and at least nine hours on garments. Patients who do not exhibit Covid 19 related symptoms spread the virus communally without their knowledge. Covid 19 affects all age groups us is, but its effects are severe to the older generation. This article discusses why Africa American deaths are more than those of other groups in America.
Why is it an important issue?
For a long time, African Americans have been disadvantaged despite the celebrated precedents in law; Simkins v Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital (1963) and Cypress v Newport News Hospital Association (1967). The reasons given are economic inequalities. African Americans’ social-economic status is not favorable. The minority group lives in overpopulated residential areas where observing social distance is difficult. This group is likely to seek medical attention in minority hospitals, which at the beginning of the pandemic had few testing kits because areas with high numbers of unemployed and uninsured persons recorded fewer testing kits.
Further, the monetary challenges in minority hospitals did not allow them to test and protect health workers and patients massively. Also, minority hospitals recurrently have a shortage of physicians. Statistics show that critically ill patients lacked ventilators and health workers had inadequate personal protective equipment. African Americans were evicted from Guangzhou in China for fear that they would cause another spike in Corona infections. How now? Is it because of their skin color or ethnicity? In the USA, the police perpetrated deportation of persons of African descent.
Stakeholders
The stakeholders involved in this intervention include the society, the federal government, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, hospitals, paramedics, insurance providers, and policymakers in crisis intervention and battling the Coronavirus.
Are stakeholders experienced in treating the epidemic?
This is the first time that the novel Coronavirus is hitting the USA, and it is hitting hard. The USA has dealt with other epidemics, but the severity rate has never been this bad. Besides, health providers and scientists’ lack of political goodwill is not helping to expedite control measures. U.S. citizens are also relaxing by wearing masks and social distancing. The questions we ask are: What is the government doing about Covid 19 escalating cases? Will the government attend to the racial discrimination and health disparities that propagate more Covid 19 claims among African Americans? Finally, how well equipped are our hospitals to deal with Covid 19 over time, especially after the reopening of the U.S. economy in most states?
References
Louis-Jean, J., Cenat, K., Njoku, C.V. et al. Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Racial Disparities: A Perspective Analysis. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00879-4