- April 19, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Are Black and Latino communities at a higher risk of complications and deaths caused by COVID-19? AdventHealth says yes.
“Unfortunately, the data bears that out prior to COVID, but COVID has really been an exemplar for the disparities and inequities in health care that we’ve seen,” said Dr. Alric Simmonds, AdventHealth’s chief equity officer during the hospital system's morning briefing on Thursday, Feb. 11.
Hospitalizations across the board — which totaled 540 at the time of the briefing — are decreasing in Central Florida, a good sign as the public continues to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but AdventHealth reports minority communities, particularly Black and Latino, are impacted at a greater rate. Simmonds, who is also a surgeon and chief medical officer at AdventHealth Celebration, explained three risk factors contributing to the disparity: The need for public transport, inability to work from home, and housing, as many of minority families live in multigenerational households where if one person gets sick, the spread of the disease tends to be more rampant.
Additionally, Simmonds said these minority populations are more likely to seek hospital care in the later stages of disease, and, due to past health care inequities, may be arriving to the hospital with poorly-managed ambulatory conditions such as asthma and diabetes.
“When you see those preexisting conditions, and then you add to that COVID-19, then those patients are at dramatic risk for getting poor outcomes," he said.
In an effort to address the issue, AdventHealth aims to increase its education efforts regarding the vaccine, since a major challenge in the Black and Latino population is mistrust of the health care system. Simmonds said they are looking for ways to partner with churches, sororities and fraternities to provide more information on the vaccine, and its safety. AdventHealth currently has a vaccination hesitancy subcommittee, as well as a vaccination task force, to help with the education effort.
"There are some very justifiable, understandable reasons why someone would be hesitant," Simmonds said. "The reality of what I would say is, ‘roll up your sleeve and get vaccinated.’ The vaccine is incredibly safe, it is incredibly efficacious."
The only way to move forward as a community is through herd immunity, Simmonds said. Vaccinations is the way to do that. In the meantime, he said people should continue to follow the safety guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including wearing a mask, washing hands frequently and practicing social distancing.
