In a troubling change, black Los Angeles residents now have the highest risk of infection, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 of any racial or ethnic group, new data shows.
Since the first months of the pandemic, Latinos in the county have been the hardest hit group; The coronavirus death rate among Latino residents first surpassed that of all other racial and ethnic groups 11 months ago, and remained in the lead in both the second and third waves of the pandemic.
But in recent weeks, there has been an unmistakable change, and now black residents are twice as likely as Latinos and three times as likely as whites and Asian Americans to die from COVID-19. Black residents are also twice as likely to contract the coronavirus compared to white or Latino residents of Los Angeles, according to data released by the Department of Public Health.
During a recent six-week period, there was a daily average of 45 newly diagnosed coronavirus cases per 100,000 black residents. However, for every 100,000 white and Latino residents, there were approximately 25 newly diagnosed coronavirus cases per day among those residents; and for every 100,000 Asian-American inhabitants, there were 11 new cases of coronavirus per day.
In terms of COVID-19 deaths, for every 100,000 black residents, there was an average of about 1 death per day among black residents during the same period. In contrast, for every 100,000 Latino residents, there were about 0.5 daily deaths among Latino residents; For every 100,000 white and Asian American residents, there were 0.34 deaths per day among those population groups.
Those rates are much lower than during the peak of the pandemic. Overall daily coronavirus cases continue to decline in Los Angeles and are at their lowest levels since March 2020. The most recent rate of virus positivity in the county is a tiny 0.5%.
Nonetheless, the newer data is a warning sign of what could happen if vaccination rates do not improve dramatically among black residents.
Only 40% of black residents 16 and older have received at least one dose in Los Angeles, the lowest percentage of any racial or ethnic group. Among Latino residents of similar age, 48% are at least partially vaccinated, as are 62% of whites and 71% of Asian Americans.
“Who is getting infected and who is in the hospital is probably a reflection of lower vaccination rates in some of our worst affected communities. This will mean that we have to continue taking the antigen to the places where people live and work, and we must strive to provide high-quality information about the vaccine to those who have questions about its safety and efficacy, ”explained Bárbara Ferrer, director of Los Angeles Public Health.
The relatively lower inoculation rates among black and Latino residents have long been a red flag for officials. If too few Black and Latino residents are vaccinated before California fully reopens its economy, these communities of color, by virtue of having more uninoculated people, will continue to have a higher risk of COVID-19 outbreaks and, consequently, deaths.
“Where we have lower vaccination rates, it will be increasingly likely that those, unfortunately, are people who become more easily infected, end up being hospitalized and tragically may die,” said Ferrer. “If we cannot reduce the inoculation gap quickly enough, I think we will see once again this tragedy around the disproportionality of who has the most devastating health outcomes.”
Warning signs aren’t just popping up in Los Angeles. In the nation’s capital, black residents make up 45% of the population, but now comprise 82% of new coronavirus cases during the most recent 10-day period, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. While 19.8% of black Washington residents have been fully inoculated, 28.8% of white residents are fully vaccinated.
Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the UC San Francisco Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, expressed her dismay at the disparity in Washington in a tweet. “The consequences of not targeting those most affected during the pandemic are devastating,” he wrote.
Surveys show officials must do more to bring information to Black and Latino communities about how and where they can get vaccinated. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that black and Latino residents were twice as likely as white residents to have no information on where to get the vaccine.
Black and Latino adults were more likely than white adults to worry about missing work due to inoculation, not being able to get the vaccine in a trusted place, having to pay for the antigen (even if it’s free), and having difficulty getting it as well as getting transportation to a vaccination site, the Kaiser Family Foundation found. Black and Latino young adults are also more likely than white young adults to want to “wait and see” before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the foundation found.
As a result, officials have been trying to set up more mobile inoculation clinics in areas where people lack easy access to transportation. Los Angeles has also created a website for people to request that a vaccination clinic be established at their workplace, organization, or special event.
President Biden has said that employers can get tax credits for providing paid time off for workers who need the vaccine and dealing with mild side effects, such as fever or fatigue, that are common one day after receiving the injection.
State and local officials have begun seeking awards to renew interest in vaccines.
In Los Angeles, officials announced a drawing in which the grand prize is season tickets for the Kings or the Galaxy. You may be eligible if you get your first COVID-19 dose, or bring someone in for your first shot while you get your second, Friday through Thursday, at county-run vaccination clinics, City of Los Angeles o St. John’s Well Child & Family Center, which operates in the communities most affected by the pandemic.
Across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the “Vax for the Win” program that aims to provide $ 116.5 million in cash and other prizes for those vaccinated. The grand prize offers the opportunity for 10 California residents to win $ 1.5 million each.
Officials hope the programs will help give people an added incentive to get inoculated.
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