We Don’t Fully Understand How Deadly the Coronavirus Has Been for Black Americans. That’s a Tragedy of Data
Black Americans are fighting against two distinct yet interlaced enemies this week: institutionalized racism and a pandemic that is disproportionately infecting and killing them.
The protests that have rocked cities from coast to coast over the past few days were, in the immediate sense, sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. And police brutality has been the central theme of the demonstrations. But the protests are also being fueled by the fact that black communities have been devastated by the deadly pathogen working its way across America.
While black people make up only about 13% of the United States’ population according to the U.S. Census Bureau, they account for 22% of COVID-19 deaths so far, according to the COVID Tracking Project (white people, who make up 77% of the U.S. population, account for only 47% of deaths). The disparities are even more stark where black people make up the largest share of the population. In Mississippi, black people represent 38% of the population, but account for 51% of deaths. In Louisiana, that ratio is 32/53%. And in Washington, D.C., it’s a staggering 45/75%.
But the data on COVID-19 and race are incomplete, meaning we can’t even be sure how unequal the outbreak has truly been. “For one thing, there’s really no national-level system for gathering these data,” says TIME senior editor Elijah Wolfson. “It’s all based on state public health authorities, meaning there can be inconsistencies, but more importantly, there was no national mandate to gather these data or framework for doing so.”
Including Washington, D.C., 47 states report race data in confirmed COVID-19 cases, while only 41 report race for virus-related deaths. But given the lack of adequate testing and the fact that many cases are going undiagnosed or misreported, the numbers are inaccurate—and likely underestimate just how stark the racial disparities have been. Moreover, some states aren’t reporting race data for coronavirus cases at all—including Louisiana, home to the U.S.' third-largest black population. Still, with black people accounting for an outsized number of COVID-19 deaths in 34 states, it’s a signal that can’t be ignored.
There is no medical evidence that COVID-19 affects non-whites differently from whites on a biological level. Rather, it seems the virus is exploiting pre-existing disparities and biases within the American health care system—black Americans tend to have less access to health care than whites, for instance, and have been especially hurt by the coronavirus-triggered economic downturn, leaving many without a steady income or health insurance. To address those problems, we at least need good data to smartly allocate resources and increase access and accountability, Wolfson says.
Sadly, there is a chance that the protests could allow the virus to infiltrate even deeper through the very communities it has already most viciously ravaged. In the immediate term, this week’s protesters face the threat of arrest or violence at the hands of law enforcement and others. By congregating in large groups amid the pandemic, they are also increasing their risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19. But for many black Americans and their allies, that danger is being outweighed by the costs of staying silent in the face of continued oppression.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
The Global Situation
More than 6.2 million people around the world had been sickened by COVID-19 as of 11 PM eastern time last night, and more than 375,000 people had died.
Here is every country with over 90,000 confirmed cases:
Other countries are also struggling with inequality and COVID-19. A study published today by Public Health England found that non-whites in Britain have a 10-50% higher risk of death from the virus compared to whites. “People are understandably angry about injustices … this pandemic has exposed huge disparities in the health of our nation,” U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told lawmakers in the House of Commons.
Countries and cities around the world are taking steps to reopen despite the risks. Paris’ famous restaurants and cafes are welcoming customers again, but they have to dine outside and practice social distancing. In Dubai, shopping malls and other businesses will be allowed to resume operations at full capacity starting tomorrow, though masks and social distancing will be required. Mexico’s government said yesterday that the country would begin to ease restrictions in certain areas, but published a confusing map that left unclear where the changes will take place.
South American countries, including hard-hit Brazil, are also taking steps to reopen their economies—but health experts are concerned that it’s far too early for them to be doing so. “Clearly the situation in many South American countries is far from stable,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, the executive director of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s emergencies program, at a press conference yesterday.
FIA, the governing body of motorsports league Formula One, has given the green light for races to resume “in a way that is safe for the communities visited and the entire Formula 1 community." F1’s first races of the season will begin next month in Austria.
The Situation in the U.S.
The total number of COVID-19 diagnoses in the U.S. surpassed 1.8 million as of 11 PM eastern time yesterday, and the death toll climbed to more than 105,000.
On June 1, there were 21,188 new cases and 784 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Protests aren’t the only way Americans will be making their voices heard this week—citizens in nine states and Washington, D.C. will be voting today, offering a preview of what a coronavirus-era Election Day might look like. An increase in mail-in voting is expected this week, given both fears of contracting the virus at polling stations and uncertainty over curfews issued in response to protests (in D.C., officials have said voters are exempt from the first hour of the 7 p.m. curfew, but it remains to be seen how that plays out).
Those protests do not yet appear to be altering officials’ plans for reopening their economies following coronavirus-related shutdowns. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio remains committed to reopening beginning June 8, despite extending a protest-related curfew through the end of this week. Likewise, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said yesterday that her state will still allow some businesses to reopen on June 8. And even in Minnesota's Twin Cities—where some of the most intense protests have broken out—salons, barber shops, and restaurants with outdoor seating began reopening yesterday.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of June 1, 11 PM eastern time. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Wearing Face Masks and Social Distancing Actually Works
That’s according to a large study published yesterday in The Lancet, providing the strongest evidence yet that these practices lower the risk of spreading the virus. Read more here.
No One’s Checking On These Senior Citizens
Elderly people living in Chicago-area subsidized housing have been dying alone at home, ProPublica reports, their deaths going unnoticed as social distancing measures keep people away. Read more here.
The WHO Wasn’t As Happy With China As It Seemed
China delayed releasing information about the coronavirus, frustrating the WHO even as agency officials publicly praised the country, the Associated Press reports. Read more here.
Coronavirus Fuels Racism Against Black Americans in China
Black Americans in China are facing even more harassment than usual amid the COVID-19 crisis as locals fear they could be carrying the virus, The New York Times reports. Read more here.
Spike in Fatal Drug Overdoses Linked to Coronavirus Pandemic
Fatal drug overdoses are up 40-50% across Long Island’s Suffolk and Nassau counties amid the pandemic, Newsday reports. More people are using dangerous drugs to cope with pandemic-related anxiety and loneliness, officials say, while supply chain issues have led dealers to push the highly dangerous synthetic drug fentanyl rather than cocaine or heroin. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Sanya Mansoor, and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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