Washington, D.C. — A new analysis from the Center for American Progress demonstrates why and how structural racism puts communities of color at greater risk of exposure to the coronavirus and concludes that communities of color will likely face worse health outcomes if they contract the virus. The findings include:
The analysis also provides the following policy recommendations for protecting people of color and other vulnerable communities, including:
“People of color will likely be the hardest hit by the coronavirus because of the structural racism embedded into every facet of American life—from housing segregation to access to medical care” said Connor Maxwell, senior policy analyst for Race and Ethnicity Policy at the Center for American Progress and author of the analysis. “It is imperative for policymakers to recognize the disproportionate barriers that people of color face in keeping themselves and their families safe and take steps that will help communities of color such as guaranteeing paid leave, providing translation services, and ensuring low-income individuals have no-cost access to COVID-19 testing.”
Read: “Coronavirus Compounds Inequality and Endangers Communities of Color” by Connor Maxwell