Thread by @RheaBoydMD

Is everyone reading this??!

I gotta break down this science real quick.

This study compared COVID-19 mortality rates by racial/ethnic group AND age. It found:

Among folks aged 35-44, Black people had a COVID mortality rate 9 *times* as high as whites.
cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/upl…

Among folks aged 25-34, Black people had a COVID mortality rate 7.3 *times* as high as whites.

And for those aged 45-54, Black people had a COVID mortality rate 6.9 *times* as high as whites.

This should change EVERYTHING we've been saying about age and COVID risks.

First, these inequities were also seen for Latinx and Indigenous populations, who had COVID-19 death rates that were 5 to 8 *times* as high as white folks (for age groups 25-54).

Second, they also count the "years of life lost" for each of the racial and ethnic groups.

They estimate Latinx populations have lost 48,204 years (as a population) from COVID-19.

Black folks have lost 45,777 years.

Both of which are higher than the 33,446 years of life lost for white folks. This is despite white folks having a much bigger population (3-4x bigger).

Think of all people do in a year. You work, have babies, get married, make memories.

Black and Latinx populations have lost those opportunities more than 45,000 times from COVID alone.

This racial health inequity has cost Black and Latinx folks an enormous amount.

And they were YOUNG! These disparities are occurring well-before age 65. Before people can recoup their investments in programs like social security or Medicare.

That means people are paying into programs (and blamed for services) they will never receive.

If you are a clinician or researcher working on COVID-19, we have to grapple with this.

We have to contend with how racism shapes risks for COVID mortality in ways that may supersede a person's age, particularly for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations.

Also shout out to the authors!! @DrMaryTBassett Dr. Nancy Krieger and Dr. Jarvis Chen!! 🙌🏿 This is how you do it folks.