New data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds Black and Hispanic/Latinx people were disproportionately more likely to die from COVID-19 in the United States during the spring and summer. USA TODAY takes a close look at why this is the case—and the outsized impact of environmental racism.
“Of the 10 U.S. counties with the highest death rates from COVID-19, seven have populations where people of color make up the majority,”says USA TODAY. “Of the top 50 counties with the highest death rates, 31 are populated mostly by people of color.”
“This isn’t a matter of coincidence, poor choices, or bad luck—it’s by design,” the reporters conclude, citing America’s long history of discriminatory health, environment, and housing policies.
In St. John’s Parish in Louisiana, emissions from a neoprene plant “are so harmful that the EPA lists the predominantly Black neighborhood next door to the plant as having the highest risk of cancer in the entire country”—and the 27th highest death rate from COVID-19.
Elsewhere, food deserts create health disparities. Imperial County, CA, produces 80% of the country’s winter produce, but the predominantly Hispanic farm workers can’t afford to buy it. Nearly 75% of adults and 13% of children in the county are obese or overweight for their age, while 31% of children don’t get enough to eat each day.
These disparities exacerbate COVID-19 comorbidities. COVID-19 “has been so fatal in the county, with 16 deaths per 10,000, nearly three times the national average,” continues USA TODAY.
This is why the BIOEquality Agenda is so important—to help ensure marginalized communities have access to science, including COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, as well as education and career opportunities. Learn more.
Innovation and policy can work together to make a dent in these problems. We have biotech solutions—like biofuels, which have lower carbon emissions and create rural jobs, or gene editing, which can increase access to affordable, nutritious food. Now, we need policy solutions to ensure innovations get to communities where they’re needed the most.
ICYMI: During BIO IMPACT Digital, BIO’s Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath sat down with Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and experts from AquaBounty Technologies and Cargill to discuss how we can deliver justice through science. Watch now.
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POLITICO: States prepare for their own vaccine safety reviews amid worries about Trump’s influence on the FDA
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The Wall Street Journal: Moderna CEO expects COVID-19 vaccine interim results in November
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The Wall Street Journal: Pfizer sets up its 'biggest ever' vaccination distribution campaign
“The U.S. pharmaceutical giant is preparing to ship billions of COVID-19 vaccines using frozen boxes, cargo planes, and trucks in a mega logistics operation.”