ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an administrative order on Thursday, addressing the racial and ethnic disparities in the city underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social and structural factors place Black, Hispanic, Latino and American Indian or Alaskan Natives at an increased risk for COVID-19.
According to the CDC, these ethnic groups being at a greater risk to being diagnosed, hospitalized or killed by the virus than other racial or ethnic groups.
“Systemic racism and healthcare inequities continue to ravage communities of color in what could be the most devastating public health crisis of our lifetime,” Bottoms said. “The color of one’s skin or zip code should not determine the state of your health or the length of your life."
The mayor's administrative order directs the city's chief health officer to:
- Develop and publicize a report on COVID-19 racial and ethnic disparities in the city of Atlanta
- Convene an advisory council of community partners to outline
- Recommendations to address the COVID-19 racial and ethnic disparities identified in the report;
- Establish a COVID-19 mask campaign to promote awareness about COVID-19 disparities among the most vulnerable populations; and
- Schedule and plan a series of virtual town hall discussions concerning the effects of COVID-19.
The first town hall of the series will be centered around COVID-19 and emotional wellness among women. The town hall meeting will take place in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, which is on Saturday, October 10, 2020.
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