Are African Americans more at risk from COVID-19 than other Americans? Let our experts explain.

It’s a startling piece of evidence, but it appears that a disproportionate number of African Americans are dying due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called the impact of the coronavirus on African Americans a "real problem" that was showing up "strongly" in the data. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, added that pre-existing conditions that are more prevalent among African Americans, including asthma and diabetes, are a factor. “We’re very concerned about that,” he said.

Low-income people of color are also more likely to have jobs that can't be done remotely, meaning they're more likely to be exposed to the virus while more affluent professionals are able to stay at home. And they're less likely to have access to high-quality private testing or medical care.

"I'm concerned this will be yet another case where there's a huge difference between people who are more wealthy and people who are poor, and there's going to be a difference between people of color and how much they suffer," Dr. Marcus Plescia, the chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said. “We have a longstanding legacy of bias and racism in our country and we’re not going to get beyond that quickly.”

NBC News – April 07

But as health officials and experts further examine the data – there are a lot of questions to be asked?

• What can African Americans do to further prevent the risk of infection?
• Do government officials need to allocate more resources to areas with a higher population of African Americans?
• Are African Americans being tested or have access to tests in the same manner as the rest of America?
• When we African Americans informed of this unique vulnerability and was anything put in place to inform to properly inform them?

If you are a journalist covering this topic – then let our experts help.

Dr. Tiffany G. Townsend is a widely recognized leader in diversity and psychology. She is an expert in the areas of health equity and serves as the chief diversity officer for Augusta University.

Dr. Joseph Hobbs is an award-winning physician and a notable leader in the research of racial disparities in health care. He also serves as the chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. 

Dr. Joseph Hobbs is an award-winning physician and a notable leader in the research of racial disparities in health care. He also serves as the chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

Townsend and Hobbs are both available to speak with media regarding this topic– simply call 706-522-3023 to arrange an interview or simply click on Dr. Townsend's icon to book a time.