Pandemic Harms Are Not Distributed Equally
Communities with people of color are more likely to be affected by COVID-19, according to the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts.
It is unknown the specific numbers of how many black and hispanic people are dying from coronavirus in Hampden County, but they are exposed to a greater risk due to the areas that they live in. The density of people, the low state average for income and education, and the number of people who work retail or service jobs are some of the multiple factors that lead to a higher infection rate. Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield and Springfield are gateway cities and share these factors, putting the people who live there in constant danger of contracting the virus.
In comparison, Hampshire County is a significantly less dense county with a whiter population that can more easily work from home, making it easier for them to avoid coronavirus.
People of color in Hampden County also have higher rates of asthma, less access to healthcare, and chronic lung disease.
Dr. Sarah McAdoo, a public health physician at the University of Massachusetts Medical School at Baystate, says that Covid -19 has put a significant spotlight on social and health inequities.
“These inequities are grounded in a historical context, a history of policies that denies access to fundamentals of human development: quality education, quality healthcare, and a livable wage.”
The pandemic has amplified these inequities for people of color in Western Massachusetts, but as it can be seen from the spread of this virus across the nation that people of color everywhere are being disproportionately affected.
