COVID-19 Disaster Will Possible Disproportionately Have an effect on the Well being and Funds of Communities of Colour

The COVID-19 outbreak is likely to disproportionately hit color communities in both their health and paperbacks, according to a new KFF analysis, exacerbating long-standing racial gaps in terms of health and economic conditions.

While comprehensive data on how the COVID-19 crisis is unfolding is not yet available, early data from some areas suggest that color groups have disproportionate health and economic effects. From April 6th, to name a few examples:

• In Illinois, color groups made up 48 percent of confirmed cases and 56 percent of deaths, while they made up just 39 percent of the state's population.
• In Louisiana, blacks make up 32 percent of the state's population but account for over 70 percent of COVID-19 deaths.
• In Michigan, while blacks make up 14 percent of the population, they account for 33 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases and 41 percent of deaths.
• In North Carolina, blacks make up 21 percent of the population but account for 37 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases
• In Washington D.C. Blacks made up 59 percent of COVID-19 deaths while they made up 45 percent of the district's population

The new numbers stand alongside existing data suggesting that many people of color are at increased risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19, as certain underlying health conditions such as diabetes and asthma are more common than whites. According to KFF analysis of federal survey data, older blacks, Hispanics, Indians, and Alaskan natives are not more likely than whites to report fair or poor health.

People of color are also more likely to be uninsured and lack the usual source of care, which can lead to increased challenges in accessing COVID-19 testing and treatment services. Among the non-elderly, 22 percent of Alaska's Indians and Natives had no health insurance in 2018, as did 19 percent of Hispanics and 11 percent of blacks, compared with 8 percent of whites.

In addition, people of color are more likely to work in certain industries (e.g. hospitality, hospitality, retail and other service industries) where there is currently a particular risk of loss of income, but whose ability to do so is limited due to lower incomes to offset these declines. Over a quarter of blacks, Hispanics and AIANs are low-wage workers, compared with less than 17 percent of whites.

The full analysis as well as further data and analyzes on the coronavirus and COVID-19 can be found at kff.org.