Kamala Harris Unveils Legislation To Create Task Force Combating Racial Disparities Amid COVID-19

The novel coronavirus has caused the U.S. to use many of its resources to address the economic fallout brought on by the public health crisis. The viral outbreak has heightened the urgent need to address long-standing inequities in our healthcare system. Now California Sen. Kamala Harris announced on Thursday that she intends to bring forth new legislation to create a special task force to address and combat racial disparities brought on due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris has introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act to bring together healthcare and other policy experts, community-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders to confront the racial and ethnic disparities of the coronavirus pandemic head-on.

The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an interagency task force of policy experts, community leaders, and government officials to make data-driven recommendations to federal agencies about directing crucial resources—like testing kits, testing supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE)—to communities with racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death rates. The task force’s work would also be able to guide a more equitable government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises.

“People of color are being infected and dying from coronavirus at astounding rates,” said Sen. Harris in a press statement. “This is in part due to persistent lack of access to healthcare, bias in our healthcare system, systematic barriers to equal pay and housing, and environmental injustice. It is critical that the federal government proactively work to right historical wrongs that have led to racial inequities for generations. The COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act is a necessary step to fully understand the impact of this virus in the hardest hit communities, and make targeted investments that correspond with their unique needs.”

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Prosecutors Know Who Killed This Black Man in Georgia but Have Made No Arrests

The family of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery says he was jogging in his neighborhood in Brunswick Country, Georgia in February when he was chased, shot, and killed by two white men.

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How Caribbean Nations Are Combatting The COVID-19 Pandemic

The spread of COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, has not only impacted the United States but the entire world—even the paradise of the Caribbean. Each country has been countering the pandemic differently with some being met with success and others overwhelmed by the number of patients.

The Caribbean has been of particular interest because of its climate, size, and the distance between people. Some islands have managed to eliminate their cases while others have been preparing for the worst.

Because of the Caribbean’s climate and environment, social distancing measures were easier to implement in some countries because people traditionally live further apart as compared to denser populated locations. Also, some islands were very quick to respond to the pandemic, shutting down public facilities and gatherings quickly. Countries like St. Lucia have been able to see 100% recovery within patients and other nations, like Barbados, have seen a low death toll in comparison to the United States and European nations.

The public health crisis has ended leisure travel for the foreseeable future until the virus can be contained, leaving islands dependent on tourism uncertain about the future.

Barbados has initiated a countrywide shutdown similar to those seen in cities like New York with all hotels and tourism services coming to a complete halt. The government has created programs to help companies slowly transition back once the viral outbreak has been contained. The job market has been the most impacted by the virus. In Jamaica, 160, 000 workers have lost their jobs in the country since the start of the pandemic.

“We recognize the socio-economic impact this will have on jobs and people’s livelihoods not just here but globally,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett to BLACK ENTERPRISE in an email statement. “The island’s tourism has been significantly impacted since various countries have implemented travel restrictions; a number of airlines have significantly reduced their flights; cruises have been cancelled and a number of local attractions and hotels are scaling down their operations, with some closing.”

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