Fauci: Institutional racism plays a role in the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on the black community


Anthony FauciAnthony Fauci Night Health Care: Trump Refuses to Say If He Slowed Down Coronavirus Testing | COVID-19 cases in the United States are increasing, marking an ugly contrast with Europe | Trump health officials will testify about the continuing dangers of the coronavirus pandemic Trump health officials will testify about the continuing dangers of the coronavirus pandemic 12 Texas bars temporarily lose alcohol permits for violating coronavirus restrictions MORE, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, said Tuesday that he believes institutional racism has played a role in the disproportionate impact the coronavirus outbreak has had on the black community in the United States.

“Obviously, the African American community has suffered racism for a very, very long period and I cannot imagine that that has not contributed to the conditions they are in economically and otherwise,” Fauci said as he testified before the Energy Chamber and Trade Committee.

Comments by Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus workforce, answered the representative’s questions. Bobby rushBobby Lee Rush Bobby Rush compares the Chicago Police Union to KKK: “Racist Corps of Criminal Illegality” representative Bobby Rush says Chicago officers stopped in his office while nearby stores were looted. Murkowski breaks up with Trump MORE (D-Ill.) On the role that institutional racism and structural discrimination have played during the pandemic.

Fauci said during the hearing that a combination of factors could explain why African American and other minority communities were being affected by the virus at disproportionate levels.

“One is the risk of infection. Due to financial and other considerations, the jobs that most of them would find themselves in do not allow them to protect themselves by looking at a computer and telecommuting,” Fauci said. “Most of them are … abroad, having to mix in a society where the virus circulates. So from the beginning, they have a higher risk of becoming infected.”

He added that a second factor is related to the prevalence of underlying health conditions among certain demographic characteristics.

“We know from a lot of experience now, that the situation regarding whether or not it has serious consequences, hospitalizations, intubations, complications and death is very strongly related to the prevalence and incidence of underlying comorbid conditions, which are clearly more expressed in the African American population than the rest of the population, “he said.

Until Tuesday afternoon, the US USA They had reported more than 2.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and nearly 121,000 deaths from it. At first, data emerged that the virus was disproportionately affecting black and Latino communities.

New statistics released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services this week showed that African-Americans enrolled in Medicare were four times more likely to be hospitalized due to the virus than white Americans, NPR reported. According to the study, Latinos were also twice as likely to be hospitalized as whites.

The findings came as the nation was caught up in protests over police brutality and racial injustice after George Floyd’s May 25 death by police. Activists have demanded that lawmakers take further steps to combat systemic racism in the country.

Presumptive Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump seeks to meet immigration press across court Trump says Obama may have committed treason Poll: Biden leads Trump by more than 20 career points and police MORE He said earlier this month that systemic racism exists “across the board” in the United States.

“It is not only in the application of the law, it is in all areas. It’s in the house, it’s in the education, and it’s in everything we do. It is real. It is genuine. It is serious, “he said.

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