Race and #COVID19: Environmental racism, inadequate healthcare, and substandard housing leads to high rates of respiratory diseases among African Americas. Add to that other health disparities (disbetes, hypertension, etc.) place more blacks in high risk groups. 1/N

African Americans also live in more densely populated urban areas (conditional on urban residency). This makes community spread more likely among African Americans. Add to that greater likelihood of public transit use, and there is less scope for social distancing 2/N

African Americans are also disproportionately represented in the “essential” category. (And they are NOT using PPE at a lot of these service industry jobs). Fewer African Americans can work at home given the occupational structure. They bring this home to their families. 3/N

This is a perfect storm for high infection and death rates from a respiratory virus like #COVID19, built upon racial social, economic, and political forces that will almost certainly kill a disproportionate number of African Americans AND influence our policy response. 4/4