Black journalists have repeatedly asked for race-inclusive data on coronavirus but people keep wondering why we want to inject race into a global pandemic.
Here's a list of reasons:
Here's a list of reasons:
1. Healthcare is segregated...Like America
White people have more access to healthcare. It's just a fact.
Health facilities are disproportionately closing in minority communities. A John Hopkins study shows that black people are 2x more likely to live in a "healthcare desert."
White people have more access to healthcare. It's just a fact.
Health facilities are disproportionately closing in minority communities. A John Hopkins study shows that black people are 2x more likely to live in a "healthcare desert."
2. Testing costs money
WE KNOW people have not been tested because of the $$$, even when showing symptoms. Given the lack of access, the racial wealth gap & the racial insurance coverage gap, it is not only possible but LIKELY that black people are less likely to be tested
WE KNOW people have not been tested because of the $$$, even when showing symptoms. Given the lack of access, the racial wealth gap & the racial insurance coverage gap, it is not only possible but LIKELY that black people are less likely to be tested
3. Healthcare professionals are biased
Numerous studies show racial biases in medicine, including doctors' belief that we have thicker skin & can tolerate more pain, often causing them to reject complaints of symptoms
Apparently, Dr. Dre & Dr. Manhattan are the only good ones
Numerous studies show racial biases in medicine, including doctors' belief that we have thicker skin & can tolerate more pain, often causing them to reject complaints of symptoms
Apparently, Dr. Dre & Dr. Manhattan are the only good ones
4. Coronavirus is racist.
The media focuses on NY & Cali because of the raw numbers, but when the Univ. of Chicago's Spatial Data Science team weighted "hot spots" by population, places where black people live were hit the hardest.
...We think (I'll get to this later)
The media focuses on NY & Cali because of the raw numbers, but when the Univ. of Chicago's Spatial Data Science team weighted "hot spots" by population, places where black people live were hit the hardest.
...We think (I'll get to this later)
5. Seriously, Coronavirus is racist.
Not only does it seem to target black areas, but the CDC's list of factors that may exacerbate COVID-19 all disproportionately affect blacks.
COVID-19 is so racist, I heard it had a show on Fox News (Wait... That's Sean Hannity, not a virus)
Not only does it seem to target black areas, but the CDC's list of factors that may exacerbate COVID-19 all disproportionately affect blacks.
COVID-19 is so racist, I heard it had a show on Fox News (Wait... That's Sean Hannity, not a virus)
6. We don't know shit.
Remember when we thought it didn't affect young people? Remember when we thought it stayed in the air for a few seconds & as long as you weren't within 6 ft. of a cough, you'd be ok? Remember when we thought you only had to stay home if you had symptoms?
Remember when we thought it didn't affect young people? Remember when we thought it stayed in the air for a few seconds & as long as you weren't within 6 ft. of a cough, you'd be ok? Remember when we thought you only had to stay home if you had symptoms?
Remember when we thought it took Easter off? (OK, that was just Trump)
Even the most reputable outlets reporting the growing number of deaths and confirmed cases forget to mention one thing:
WE KNOW those figures aren't correct.
Even the most reputable outlets reporting the growing number of deaths and confirmed cases forget to mention one thing:
WE KNOW those figures aren't correct.
We haven't tested enough people to know where coronavirus is or how fast it's spreading. Those numbers don't accurately reflect the infection rate as much as they reflect the number of people being TESTED for coronavirus.
Finally, (Pardon me while I switch to all caps)...
Finally, (Pardon me while I switch to all caps)...
7. HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU KNOW ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T WANT ALL THE INFORMATION?
We know her healthcare industry is racially segregated. We know cities and states are segregated. We know about the economic and healthcare disparities. We know racism exists
We know her healthcare industry is racially segregated. We know cities and states are segregated. We know about the economic and healthcare disparities. We know racism exists
The few states that reported racial data shows it disproportionately affects black populations.
Have you ever met America?
There is nothing in the entire history of this country that was expensive, hard to obtain and selectively offered for which black people had equal access.
Have you ever met America?
There is nothing in the entire history of this country that was expensive, hard to obtain and selectively offered for which black people had equal access.
But let me tell you a story:
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that Alabama will have the highest death rate in the country, by far. of 1600 cases, 377 are in Birmingham, the 3rd blackest city in the US.
Now I talked to a doctor at a Birmingham hospital
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that Alabama will have the highest death rate in the country, by far. of 1600 cases, 377 are in Birmingham, the 3rd blackest city in the US.
Now I talked to a doctor at a Birmingham hospital
This was when the Trump Administration first started shipping out tests and promised "everyone who wants a test will get one."
The city has a large number of hospitals. They even have 1 for people who can't afford healthcare, of course, the patients are disproportionately black
The city has a large number of hospitals. They even have 1 for people who can't afford healthcare, of course, the patients are disproportionately black
The day I spoke to this doctor, a private company had just announced drive-through testing, one of the first in the country, which relieved a lot of pressure off of the University hospital system which distributed tests to its more than 20 locations
This was literally THE DAY that the Trump administration had made tests "widely available." But, even so, the doctor was still worried. When I heard how many tests were made available for the poor black patients in the largest city in the entire state, I audibly gasped:
FIVE.
Now, I could have completely fabricated that entire story and made it all up.
But, without the data, how would you know?
Now, I could have completely fabricated that entire story and made it all up.
But, without the data, how would you know?
