Three of every four rural counties in the U.S. are in what the White House Coronavirus Task Force defines as a “red zone.”
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The 10 counties with the highest number of cases per resident are all nonmetropolitan areas with fewer than 50,000 people.
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But the explosion of Covid in rural communities isn’t a simple morality tale.
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In Minnesota, the 21 most unhealthy counties are all rural. In Itasca County, the following activities exceed both state and national averages:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚬" title="Rauchzeichen" aria-label="Emoji: Rauchzeichen">Smoking
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍫" title="Schokoriegel" aria-label="Emoji: Schokoriegel">Obesity
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🛋️" title="Couch und Lampe" aria-label="Emoji: Couch und Lampe">Physical inactivity
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🍻" title="Anstoßende Bierkrüge" aria-label="Emoji: Anstoßende Bierkrüge">Excessive drinking
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚘" title="Entgegenkommendes Auto" aria-label="Emoji: Entgegenkommendes Auto">Alcohol-impaired driving deaths
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Similar patterns have emerged from coast to coast.
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Common indicators of mental illness, including suicide rates and drug overdoses, are also higher in rural areas.
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People in rural America tend to be older and poorer than average, making it less likely that they’ll have access to decent health care in the first place. Poverty contributes to:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">Social isolation
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">Drug abuse
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">Mental illness
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These problems are only compounded by the glaring inequities of the U.S. health-care system.
Rural hospitals have struggled for years to stay afloat: Since 2005, 175 rural hospitals have closed, with 19 shutting down last year alone http://trib.al/VyeEHLO ">https://trib.al/VyeEHLO&q...
Rural hospitals have struggled for years to stay afloat: Since 2005, 175 rural hospitals have closed, with 19 shutting down last year alone http://trib.al/VyeEHLO ">https://trib.al/VyeEHLO&q...
Hospital closures can be devastating for isolated communities:
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They’ve been shown to significantly increase mortality for people who have conditions that require immediate help, and they contribute to an acute shortage of intensive-care unit beds http://trib.al/VyeEHLO ">https://trib.al/VyeEHLO&q...
Even when a bed is available, a doctor may not be: Rural areas on average have only about 40 physicians for every 100,000 people, compared to about 53 in cities.
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Some lessons have been learned during the crisis that could mitigate what’s likely to be a bleak winter of infection ahead. Rural areas need:
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🏥" title="Krankenhaus" aria-label="Emoji: Krankenhaus">Hospital upgrades
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥼" title="Lab coat" aria-label="Emoji: Lab coat">Larger supply of staffers
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚕️" title="Äskulapstab" aria-label="Emoji: Äskulapstab">Expanded capacity for telemedicine
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💻" title="Computer" aria-label="Emoji: Computer">Rural broadband
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In the meantime, rural Americans will need to mask up and socially distance.
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