In my testimony to the House Homeland Security Subcommittee today, I provide 10 actions Congress must take to reduce the unequal impact of #covid19 on Latinos, African-Americans, Native-Americans & other communities of color.
My recommendations: (1/7)
homeland.house.gov/activities/hea…
My recommendations: (1/7)
homeland.house.gov/activities/hea…
1. Target testing to minority & underserved communities. Congress must instruct FEMA to ramp up testing & set up facilities all across the country.
2. Track demographic information to ensure equitable resource allocation.
3. Hire contact tracers from minority communities. (2/7)
2. Track demographic information to ensure equitable resource allocation.
3. Hire contact tracers from minority communities. (2/7)
4. Provide free facilities for isolation & quarantine.
5. Suspend immigration enforcement for those seeking medical assistance for covid-19. Congress should prohibit ICE from accessing records of those seeking care for covid-19. (3/7)
5. Suspend immigration enforcement for those seeking medical assistance for covid-19. Congress should prohibit ICE from accessing records of those seeking care for covid-19. (3/7)
6. Institute stronger worker protections.
7. Prepare for surges. Congress must urge the Trump administration to have a national strategy and activate the Defense Production Act to ensure #PPE, ventilators & other critical supplies are produced in sufficient quantity. (4/7)
7. Prepare for surges. Congress must urge the Trump administration to have a national strategy and activate the Defense Production Act to ensure #PPE, ventilators & other critical supplies are produced in sufficient quantity. (4/7)
8. Support public health as part of critical infrastructure.
9. Increase health insurance coverage. Congress should also press for national policies around evidence-based public health practices that reduce infection risk, including universal mask-wearing. (5/7)
9. Increase health insurance coverage. Congress should also press for national policies around evidence-based public health practices that reduce infection risk, including universal mask-wearing. (5/7)
10. Target resources to address social determinants of health, with a focus on areas of greatest need.
There must be attention to longer-term issues like housing instability, income inequality & structural racism that are inextricably linked to health disparities (6/7)
There must be attention to longer-term issues like housing instability, income inequality & structural racism that are inextricably linked to health disparities (6/7)
The #covid19 pandemic is the life-or-death threat facing communities of color right now. There are specific actions that policymakers can take that will reduce disparities in outcomes and, in so doing, improve health for all. (7/7)
