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Missing from this article: People of color endure higher rates of exposure to air pollution due to decades of structural and environmental racism. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/climate/air-pollution-coronavirus-covid.html
Studies show that while air pollution is disproportionately caused by white Americans, it is disproportionately inhaled by Black and Hispanic Americans. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/11/702348935/study-finds-racial-gap-between-who-causes-air-pollution-and-who-breathes-it
According to the EPA, African-Americans face a 54 percent higher health burden due to particulate air emissions compared to the overall population. Non-white communities overall had a 28 percent higher health burden. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/375289-epa-scientists-find-emissions-greater-impact-low-income-communities
156,000 Native Americans within one-half of a mile of oil and gas facilities. https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Global-Warming/NWF-CATF_Updated_Fact-Sheet_Tribal-Lands_03062017.ashx
Children of color make up almost 2/3 of the 5.7m children living within 1 mile of a high-risk chemical facility. https://www.foreffectivegov.org/shadow-of-danger/
From automobile and refinery pollution to lead-contaminated water and food deserts, racism has contributed to higher rates of serious chronic health conditions in communities of color. These conditions put them at greater risk of getting very sick if exposed to coronavirus.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a glaring reminder that inequality puts America’s most vulnerable communities at increased risk. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2020/03/27/482337/coronavirus-compounds-inequality-endangers-communities-color/
