Some Lives Matter Less…
The Statistical Face of Systemic Racism
If you are an African American, you are more than twice as likely to die from the COVID-19 pandemic than if you were “white.” More than 34,137 African American lives have been claimed by the disease. The rate of African-Americans deaths from the virus exceeds their share of the population in 32 states. In Alabama, they reflect 26.4% of the population, but experience 46% of the deaths. In Virginia, they experience 25% of the deaths, but are only 19% of the population. Overall in America, people of color make up 40% of the population, but they account for 52% of all “excess deaths.” There are many reasons why African Americans are dying so often from the disease, most of which reflect broader inequities they experience in their day-to-day lives.
Being poor is where it all starts. Twenty percent live in poverty compared to 10% for whites. African Americans occupy 17% of the jobs classified by the Department of Homeland Security as “frontline,” yet they are 11% of the general population. During the pandemic, getting to work is a potential exposure - 34% do so using public transportation as opposed to 14% of whites. The jobs likely to be pursued more often require leaving the home - nearly a third work in Healthcare and Education. Many do not have sick leave, and when they go home it is far more likely crowded conditions there will create an environment where the disease spreads.
Access to healthcare is expensive for everybody, but particularly expensive for African Americans. The average white family spends $8,200 a year on healthcare - 11% of income. For African Americans families, the percentage is 20%. In 2018, 11.5% had no health insurance as compared to 7.5% for whites. This is a situation that has been positively impacted by the ACA (ObamaCare) - in 2010, it was 32% for African Americans vs 18% for whites. One reason why it costs more is that if you don’t have health insurance, going to the doctor frequently means a visit to the emergency room.
More than 19% of African Americans have undiagnosed underlying conditions such as diabetes that make them more likely to experience fatal complications should they contract COVID-19. While diabetes is related to heredity, it is also the result of a poor diet. Many people of color live in areas classified by the Department of Agriculture as “food deserts.” These are communities where the only place to buy food is at a convenience store where there are few opportunities to purchase fruits and vegetables. Nelson County is such a community with few grocery stores outside Lovingston.
COVID-19 isn’t the only thing killing Black people. African American children are 10 times more likely to die as a result of gun violence. The bottom line is contained in life expectancy: In 2011, for whites it was 76.6 years; for African American men it was 72.2. The American promise is “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” For African Americans, independent of COVID-19, that means 4.2 fewer years. The epidemic and its disproportionate impact on their community can only make this situation much worse.