Racially segregated counties in US have higher COVID-19 infections, deaths

Washington , February 3: A study finds that residential racial segregation emerged as a factor in COVID-19 infection and mortality rates across the nine months of the pandemic in the United States.

"This study examines the role that racial residential segregation has played in shaping the spread of COVID-19 in the United States as of September 30, 2020. The analysis focuses on the effects of racial residential segregation on mortality and infection rates for the overall population and on racial and ethnic mortality gaps," read an article titled 'Using machine learning to estimate the effect of racial segregation on COVID-19 mortality in the United States' by Gerard Torrats-Espinosa.

The study further stated, "Results show that more-segregated counties (in the US) had higher mortality and infection rates overall and larger mortality rates among Blacks relative to Whites."

In racially segregated counties, COVID-19 mortality among racial and ethnic minorities may be higher if these groups are more exposed to contextual factors that make them more vulnerable to a highly contagious virus such as SARS-CoV-2. In addition to being more likely to experience preexisting health conditions that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19, according to the study.

The study points out that Blacks and Hispanics are overrepresented in jobs that have been classified as essential during the pandemic are more likely to live in multigenerational households are less likely to have health insurance and live in neighborhoods where essential establishments such as pharmacies and grocery stores are more scarce.

The study also found that counties that were one standard deviation above the average racial segregation experiencing an 8 per cent higher mortality rate and a 5 per cent higher infection rate than counties that were at the average racial segregation.