WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 22, 2020, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced a Senate Resolution to declare racism a public health crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has been the great revealer – underscoring the racial disparities that continue to pervade public health as a direct result of systemic racism. Barriers to quality health care access, housing, jobs, wages and so much else contribute to stark health disparities for communities of color. This virus has proven especially lethal for those communities – the infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates are disproportionately high among Black, Latino, and AI/AN populations. Data show 22 percent of COVID-19 patients are Black, when Black people make up 13 percent of the entire population, and 33 percent of COVID-19 patients are Latino, when they make up just 18 percent of the entire population. Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
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BROWN, BOOKER, HARRIS INTRODUCE SENATE RESOLUTION DECLARING RACISM A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
