Final answer:
People of color were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to systemic factors including high representation in essential work, lack of health insurance, and crowding in housing which exacerbated virus transmission and reduced access to healthcare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color can be attributed to several systemic and structural factors. People of color were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus because they were more likely to work as essential and frontline workers, were less likely to have health insurance, and were more likely to live in crowded housing. These factors increased their exposure to the virus and limited their access to healthcare and social distancing opportunities.
Essential workers faced an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their front-facing roles in society—many of which are filled by people of color due to economic inequalities and a historical lack of access to different employment opportunities. The same populations are often living in crowded housing, exacerbating the risk of virus transmission. Moreover, existing health disparities wrought by systemic racism have left minority communities with higher rates of underlying health conditions that increase vulnerability to the virus.
Historical segregation and institutionalized racism have resulted in African Americans and other minorities living in neighborhoods with more environmental health hazards, such as pollution, which contribute to health conditions such as asthma and obesity. These communities also face greater challenges in mobilizing political support to advocate for their right to a healthier environment. Furthermore, during public health emergencies like Hurricane Katrina or the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic inadequacies in disaster planning and healthcare systems often leave these populations particularly vulnerable.
Overall, the pandemic has exacerbated the inequalities and vulnerabilities that minority populations face, both in terms of their health outcomes and socioeconomic statuses. These structural inequalities are part of the greater web of systemic issues that have long impacted these communities, which the pandemic has further highlighted.