COVID-19 Update: African Americans Are Still At a Higher Risk of Infection – Here’s How to Fight with Facts

 

Disparities in health care, information, and accessibility have left the African American community vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and dying from it at higher rates, nearly two times greater than their share of the population.

 

 

We all have a family member, friend, or loved one that has either been affected by Covid, or worse, has died from it. I’ve personally lost a cousin, an aunt, a former coworker, and even a fellow high school classmate to the disease – all of African American descent.

 

Additionally, my brother was among the very first cases of Covid in the United States. Fortunately, he recovered fully, but it took many weeks and a relentless support system of family consistently communicating with the hospital staff to reach that point.

 

Now as the spread of new delta variants and strains of the coronavirus continues to rise, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance on face masks. However, 85 percent of African Americans are concerned about the potential of the new strains being more contagious or deadly than the original – and for good reason.  

 

 

The CDC now recommends that people, regardless of their vaccination status, wear a face mask in certain indoor situations where there is a risk of “substantial and high transmission” of COVID-19. This includes schools, retail stores, and some businesses.

 

While health disparities leave African Americans vulnerable to COVID-19 at higher rates, research shows that 51 percent of African Americans say they are fully vaccinated, and 54 percent continue to wear masks in public and private settings.

image courtesy: NAACP

 

 

 

While we all continue to learn more about the Coronavirus and its delta and lambda variants, the NAACP’s ‘COVID Know More’ online portal has information and resources you need to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Additionally, you can get help with finding a COVID-19 vaccine location near you. 

 

 

Remember, if one of us is vulnerable, all of us are vulnerable.

 

 

Fight back with facts by visiting the Covid. Know more. website here.