The racist cause of the U.S. corona pandemic (healthcare, deaths, racism)
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In Georgia, the corona death incidence per 100k is twice that for African Americans as for white people, roughly 45 to 21 respectively at last count. A particularly striking example is Forsyth County vs Hancock County. Forsyth has 30 times the population, 50 times the density, but only 4 times the cases, and half the deaths (15 vs 32). Why? Could it be that Forsyth is 85% white while Hancock is 84% African American? With a median household income 4.3 times less than Forsyth? Because as someone who lives here, with Forsyth being solid red, and Hancock being solid blue (voting records show each may be the reddest and bluest counties in Georgia respectively), I guarantee you that people in Forsyth haven't been keeping their distance, and haven't been wearing masks. Hancock County has 8000 people unless they all decided to go to a party in the largest town (Sparta, pop 1400), they couldn't help but keep their distance from each other. Even going outside Georgia, Arizona is 73% white, but white people only make up 43% of Arizona's corona cases.
I'm white upper-middle class. I can walk into my doctor's office and they'll try treating me. This actually happened to a family member, and they didn't even have to walk in. Corona symptoms, and a phone call, and they got an antibiotic and steroid. Back to normal in a few days. Can the same be said for the person who has to go to whatever free clinic or understaffed, overworked urgent care is around the corner, or the ER if they're desperate? I'd be willing to bet that easily 70% of the people in Forsyth County, if not more, have a primary care physician that they at least have a relationship, if not good, personal relationship with (professional...get your head out of the gutter!). But can the same be said for English Avenue? Or South Dekalb? Or Chicago's Southside, or Harlem, or Central Brooklyn? Or South Los Angeles? Look, I don't write the world, but let's face it, the poor areas of cities, tend to have a strong overlap with minority areas of city, it's sad, it sucks, it's not right, but that's how the world is, sorry.
So how does that affect corona? Doctors with good relationships are going to treat their patients, like my family member was. Is the doctor, or intern or nurse practitioner at some random clinic going to do the same? NO! The professional risk is too high. Instead they have the incredibly stupid cdc/w.h.o. guidance of "do nothing" to fall back and cover themselves with. And I can't really blame them. If someone goes to them for "treatment" for corona and still dies, they're backed. If they prescribed a medication and it still didn't work, they aren't, they could be sued, and their malpractice insurance may not cover it (I don't know the ins and outs of malpractice insurance specifically, but I'm pretty familiar with insurance in general). Even if it does, would it cover them again? So where does that leave us? A worldwide "health" organization and national "health" agency tell every doctor to do nothing when presented with basic, ordinary, upper respiratory symptoms. So suddenly, people that would have been treated, aren't, but they're largely minorities. So guess what? Disease starts running wild. Just like when the anti-vaxxers gain traction somewhere and measles starts popping up.
But what about Europe? Simple, their autocratic government-run health systems don't treat anyone either. But instead of being select clinics with a [justified] fear of malpractice, it's everyone. So why then do I say racism? The minority areas being hit hard are largely the way they are due to things like white flight, and deliberate attempts by white city government to "contain" the minority population. One of Atlanta's mayors went so far as to barricade two streets to keep African Americans from moving more into the white areas. He literally called it "Atlanta's Berlin Wall." So do I think these clinics aren't treating people due to "personal racism" that is the clinic workers would treat (or rather not treat I guess) a white person the same way? No, but racism isn't limited to a personal attack, there IS systemic racism out there, and I see it right here in our healthcare system which led us straight to where we are now. If places just start treating this disease, it goes away.
Rambling madness...if healthcare is limited in black areas it cant be testing which means it's either people being refused care and dying in their homes.......or could it be that black people are more likely to have underlying health issues like obesity diabetes poor hygiene that make them more likely to die.
I belong to one of those African-American families who have been hit hard by this virus. People talk about not knowing a single person whose gotten the virus, well I’m the opposite because I know too &+&$# many. I have had two brothers die along with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. I’ve even had a nephew die. One of my brothers lived in the DC area, while the other lived in the Cleveland area. The extended family member lived in the Cleveland to Detroit areas. All had insurance, none lived in poor areas. Most were professionals or skilled tradesmen. About half worked essential jobs, the rest were either retired or were able to work from home. Diabetes does run rampant in the family but not all who died had it. The weird thing is my family seems to get infected easier than other people, we have non-blood family members that have lived and cared for the infected folks who either never got it or it was so mild as to be non-existent. My sister-in-law was tested numerous times and has yet to show up positive, despite sleeping in the same bed as my brother and taking care of him without a mask or gloves.
What I’m trying to say is that race may play a role in who gets sick/sicker but that doesn’t mean it has anything to do with racism, systematic or otherwise. It may be all about genetics.
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Rambling madness...if healthcare is limited in black areas it cant be testing which means it's either people being refused care and dying in their homes.......or could it be that black people are more likely to have underlying health issues like obesity diabetes poor hygiene that make them more likely to die.
Obesity, diabetes possibly. Black people generally aren't as dirty as less melinated races are known to be.
I belong to one of those African-American families who have been hit hard by this virus. People talk about not knowing a single person whose gotten the virus, well I’m the opposite because I know too &+&$# many. I have had two brothers die along with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. I’ve even had a nephew die. One of my brothers lived in the DC area, while the other lived in the Cleveland area. The extended family member lived in the Cleveland to Detroit areas. All had insurance, none lived in poor areas. Most were professionals or skilled tradesmen. About half worked essential jobs, the rest were either retired or were able to work from home. Diabetes does run rampant in the family but not all who died had it. The weird thing is my family seems to get infected easier than other people, we have non-blood family members that have lived and cared for the infected folks who either never got it or it was so mild as to be non-existent. My sister-in-law was tested numerous times and has yet to show up positive, despite sleeping in the same bed as my brother and taking care of him without a mask or gloves.
What I’m trying to say is that race may play a role in who gets sick/sicker but that doesn’t mean it has anything to do with racism, systematic or otherwise. It may be all about genetics.
I heard there was a theory about melanin causing vitamin D deficiency causing African Americans to be more susceptible but then, Indians, who have skin darker than most American Blacks have a lower Covid infection rate than whites so that throws the skin color theory out the window.
Black people, as a large group, have large issues following directions: like those related to social distancing.
Anyone who has taught in Black high schools will know exactly why the transmission rate is higher. So do Black People.
Stop making excuses for them and perpetuating invalid, nasty theories.
Do we, now? Please, I know my black skin is blocking my brain cells from operating as well as yours do, but could you be so kind as to explain to me in small words why the transmission rate is higher? I mean, I am both black and taught at predominantly black schools, and I seriously am not getting what those students do differently than my students at predominantly white schools that guarantees the transmission will be higher.
__________________
When I post in bold red that is moderator action and, per the TOS, can only be discussed through Direct Message.
Moderator - Diabetes and Kentucky (including Lexington & Louisville)
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