A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is giving insight in the disparity of African Americans contracting coronavirus.
The study was done across a total of eight Georgia hospitals: Seven in metro Atlanta and one in the southern part of the state. That’s where the Albany area is, where a hot spot for the virus formed, killing more than 100 people.
The new study found more than 80% of COVID-19 patients were African-American.
Channel 2 anchor Jovita Moore spoke with Dr. Jeffrey Hines, medical director of Wellstar’s Center for Health Equity, who said he wasn’t surprised by the CDC’s finding, but he’s hopeful.
Three weeks ago, we told you the story of Bryce Wilson. His mother, Brenda Daye-Wilson told us her 31-year-old son worked in security, loved music and his family.
“We realized that he wasn’t getting better,” Daye-Wilson said. “This was more than just a cold or flu.”
She said Bryce was a former football player, and aside from asthma as a child, he was healthy. That was until he was hospitalized because of COVID-19.
He died April 2.
In other cities hard hit by COVID-19, we’ve learned African Americans are the most impacted.
A CDC report released Wednesday confirms it’s happening in Georgia too.
They looked at more than 300 patients with COVID-19 at eight Georgia hospitals.
They found the number of hospitalized patients who were black was higher than expected: 80%.
African Americans only make up 32% of our state’s population.
“Where you live, what housing you have, what education you have, what your wealth and income is and these will impact your overall health,” Hines said.
Hines told Moore that the economic disparities that put African Americans at higher risk for other diseases come into play here and make them vulnerable to coronavirus.
“It’s not just anecdotal these are bus drivers, these are folks who have to take the train or bust to work,” Moore said.
“Yes, ma’am. These are people working in our supermarkets. So that whole aspect that social distancing is a privilege really come to light here,” Hines said
So how do we fix this? Hines said testing is part of it.
What are your thoughts on the information provided by the CDC?
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