Ten Equity Implications of the Coronavirus in the United States

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Everyday the nation’s government and public health officials are making rapid decisions in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. To assist officials in their decision making and response to the virus, the NAACP has provided a resource that highlights 10 major impacts the virus could have on minority or low income communities.  Read More.
Full Resource Guide
The following considerations and proposals can be found on the NAACP website.
10 Impacts of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak on Communities of Color

  1. Racism and stigmatization have increased, particularly towards the Asian and Asian American populations.
  2. Certain populations including immigrants, incarcerated people, people over 60 years old, people with disabilities, people with special health needs, and others are at an added risk of exposure and other implications.
  3. Frontline workers face tough choices between abstaining from work or risking exposure.
  4. Census and voting may be jeopardized as public outings continue to dwindle.
  5. Coronavirus remediation will result in increased exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals.
  6. Children and college students risk exposure in schools. If schools close, students may experience food or housing insecurities.
  7. There is a lack of accessibility to testing kits.
  8. Quarantine policies and practices are unfolding with a risk to human and civil rights.
  9. The coronavirus has already been used to justify increased militarization and more restrictive immigration policies and practices.
  10. Denial and misinformation on the crisis can worsen the outbreak.

10 Policy Recommendations to Temper the Impact of the Coronavirus on Communities of Color

  1. Shift the narrative surrounding the crisis: “The virus is the enemy, not the person who is infected.”
  2. Adopt policies that increase access to childcare, healthcare and humane, sanitary living conditions to at-risk, vulnerable populations.
  3. Advocate for the establishment of a paid leave system, strengthened OSHA standards, provision of training and safety gear, and routine testing for all workers.
  4. Ensure the data collection for the Census through online and telephone enumeration, extend voting hours, and minimize large gatherings.
  5. Significantly increase the stringency of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
  6. Advocate for equal standards of sanitation, safety, and health as well as education continuity, food assistance for families and the establishment of housing assistance through Stafford Act provisions.
  7. Advocate for funding for an effective health infrastructure, prioritization of testing for vulnerable groups/populations, and equitable distribution of limited hospital supplies.
  8. Establish and enforce a Quarantine Bill of Rights.
  9. Establish sanctuary sites, repeal the travel ban and repeal of the restrictions on the provision of healthcare to immigrants.
  10. Advance litigation for the willful misleading of the public for political gain while jeopardizing the wellbeing of the nation.

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