The Ohio Conference of the NAACP, Ohio Commission on Minority Health and the Ohio Department of Health have prepared this joint statement providing information to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial and ethnic minority communities.
The community spread of COVID-19 is an unfortunate reality. It is important to dispel myths that convey racial and ethnic minorities are less susceptible to COVID-19. This is simply not true. Access to care can be a challenge for minorities which could result in a greater impact from COVID-19. The response to COVID-19 requires intentional strategies to ensure those who are most vulnerable within racial and ethnic minority populations have access to testing, treatment and critical resources. Racial and ethnic minorities are encouraged to be proactive in their efforts to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19. It is important to heed the advice of public health leaders and healthcare providers which encourages social distancing and good hygiene practices. On March 15, 2020 the national NAACP hosted an Emergency Tele-Townhall on COVID-19. This national broadcast discussed the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. More information on the Tele-Townhall can be found at https://naacp.org/emergency-coronavirus-tele-town-hall/. For up-to-date information about the impact of COVID-19 on Ohio please visit http://coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH. The phones are staffed from 9:00am to 8:00pm each day.