Cynthia Bansak
The ongoing pandemic has triggered a notable social and economic crisis around the globe. As of July 7, COVID-19 has taken over 133,000 lives nationwide, but the effect has been disproportional. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows racial and ethnic disparities between those affected by the virus. Race, ethnicity, living condition, health, and income, combined with discriminatory attitudes, have been a significant factor contributing to the unbalanced effect on those that belong in a minority and low-income brackets.[1] For example, in Alabama, 44% of those killed by COVID-19 were black in a state where fewer than 27% of its residents are African American. In parallel, African Americans make up 14% of Michigan's population, and they account for 40% of the states COVID-19 fatalities."[2] Additionally, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 20,000 African Americans have died of Covid-19 representing 23% of all deaths, though African Americans are only 12.5% of the U.S. population. In states where the majority of residents are Black, the death rate has climbed to 3.5 times the national average, up three times higher than in the previous month, and in places with more than 100 deaths, African Americans have made up 23% of the deaths.[3] Black people, compared to Whites, are dying at a 2.5 times higher rate. (Appendix 1.1). The evidence suggests that long-standing systemic social and economic inequalities have put racial and ethnic minority groups at an increased risk of getting COVID-19. While everyone is at risk of contracting COVID, people with underlying health issues due to poor living conditions tied to their low-income levels caused by systemic racism are eliciting most ethnic groups to be a target to the virus. Over time, the circumstances in which we live, learn, and work leads to different health risks. Scant conditions are often prevalent for the racial and ethnic minorities, making them more vulnerable and end up suffering the consequences of the virus. This research paper aims to justify the possible underlying issues racial and minority groups face. The different sections under the literature review intends to rationalize the consequences of these long-term issues that have been highlighted by the uneven effects of Coronavirus.