According to Surajit Khanna, the US is now the hotspot of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the African Americans seem to be the hardest hit. The recent study carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has shown huge disparities in the confirmed cases and deaths among African Americans. In Chicago, Black Americans make up only 30% of the state population, yet accounted for 52% of the confirmed cases and 72% percent death rate. In Michigan, African Americans make up 13% of the population and still recorded 33% of confirmed cases and 40% of death. For an illness that knows no race, class, societal status, or age, why are there so many disparities in the number of confirmed cases and deaths among African Americans?

Read on as Dr. Surajit Khanna, an advocate for child safety, and currently, a champion of Voice of the kids explores the likely reasons for this.

1. Living Conditions can be a Major Factor

Where one lives can have a huge impact on the health and life expectancy over time, not to talk of the time of crises such as coronavirus (COVID-19). The risk is no doubt is going to multiply says Surajit Khanna. Unsurprisingly, living conditions may be the number one reasons why the Black Americans seem to be affected the most. Many of them are live in densely populated areas with multi-dwelling building. Ways to preventing the spread of the illness might seem difficult to achieve in situation like this. Moreover, a vast majority of the minority group have the whole family living under one roof and practice a multigenerational life. Hence, isolating someone who is sick or protecting the oldies from the illness can be difficult especially if the space is limited.

High Rate of Predisposing Medical Conditions

Disparities in underlying health conditions with less health coverage is another factor that triggers the high rate of Coronavirus victims in Black Americans. As compared to the whites, the minority groups especially the African American have about two times rate of underlying medical issues. This include asthma, diabetics, obesity, and hypertension. Sadly these are predisposing medical conditions that mount extra pressures on patients with Coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are losing their Jobs so fast more than other Ethnics

Minority groups suffer the hardest blow economically during this pandemic as 44% of Black Americans say they or someone they know suffer wages lost. “This does not comes as surprise as many of them work in service industry jobs, jobs that cannot survive under work from home practice and jobs with no insurance coverage or paid sick leave,” says Surajit Khanna. This means there is less social distancing and less access to the good health system as there is no health insurance. Moreover, 80% of people summon for violation of social distancing are blacks and Hispanics. The need to work as bills keep piling up are putting them more at risk and promoting the spread of the disease.