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Studies show coronavirus affecting people of color at higher rates in Washington

Bellingham Herald - 7/2/2020

Jul. 2--A pair of reports released Thursday, July 2, analyzing Washington state's COVID-19 data by age, race and ethnicity show the pandemic is disproportionately affecting communities of color and a recent increase in coronavirus activity among younger people.

The Washington State Department of Health report analyzed data from throughout the pandemic, confirming case, hospitalization and death rates by race and ethnicity, according to a Department of Health release on the two studies.

The Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling study, meanwhile, looked at changes in age and race of COVID-19 cases over time.

"We know the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the health inequities historically marginalized and oppressed communities already experience," Department of Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy said in the release. "These data are deeply concerning and underline the critical need to address the COVID-19 impacts we're currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible."

According to the release, the Department of Health study found that:

-- People of color in the state are being infected with the COVID-19 virus and hospitalized at much higher rates than white people. Case rates for Hispanic and Native American or other Pacific Islander people are nine times higher than white people, while hospitalization rates of people identifying as Hispanic are seven times higher and 10 times higher for Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander people. Meanwhile, case and hospitalization rates for Black and Native American or Alaska Native people are three times higher than for white people.

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-- Death rates are also higher for non-white people, as Hispanic and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander people rates are three times as high, while American Indian or Alaska Native people are twice as high and Black and Asian people 50% higher than rates for white people.

-- These rates were found across different regional areas of the state and in rural and urban settings.

-- High hospitalization rates among people who don't speak English or speak Spanish as a primary language also showed that they may be experiencing more severe symptoms of the disease due to higher levels of exposure or barriers to quality, affordable health care.

Meanwhile, the Institute for Disease Modeling found:

-- People under the age of 35 have accounted for 46% of all cases in May and June after representing only 22% from January to March.

-- Among cases with a known race and ethnicity, people identifying as Hispanic have accounted for 58% of all COVID-19 cases since the beginning of May, despite only making up 13% of the state's population. The study said reasons for that high rate could include living in larger households, limited access to healthcare and more people working in essential services.

-- The data showed Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander people are infected at a higher rate per capita.

-- During May and June, Hispanic people were 13 times more likely and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander people were 17 times more likely than white people to contract COVID-19.

-- The disparity between races and ethnicities continued to widen in June.

"Public health interventions worked early in the COVID-19 epidemic to control cases, but communities of color experienced less of that benefit," research economist at the Institute for Disease Modeling Dr. Marita Zimmermann said in the release. "Now more and more young people of color in Washington are getting infected. COVID-19 exploits the inequities in health and well being in our society, and this analysis sheds light on the people most in need of protection."

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(c)2020 The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.)

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