Transcripts For CSPAN2 Select Subcommittee On The Coronaviru

Transcripts For CSPAN2 Select Subcommittee On The Coronavirus Crisis Hearing On Racial Health... 20240712

Who are supposed to protect them. My prayers go out to the floyd family and other families, a long list of other victims and their loved ones. I stand in solidarity with all those who are protesting and patriotically challenging the status quo. These protests are about more than the pigment of africanamericans at the hands of police. There about the systemic changes or gears. They are now magnified by the coronavirus that we are here to talk about. This racial inequity in healthcare, it has been laid out by this pandemic. Africanamericans, latinos, native americans and other people of color have tested positive, being hospitalized and dying from covid19 at alarming rates. Americans are dying at a rate that is double what would be expected given the population. Latinos have been infected every state. Native americans who represent just 4 of the population in arizona are 21 of the coronavirus deaths. They went under, the recent by this crisis, the national conversation. The Coronavirus Infections and deaths among americans and undermine disparities. People of color, they are greater risk of contracting the virus. Diagnoses and Chronic Health conditions such as diabetes. Heart and lung disease which increased the risk of death from coronavirus. Black and brown communities also adequate healthcare facilities. The federal government needs to address these disparities now. We will have access to coronavirus testing including mobile testing as well as healthcare to address these chronic conditions. Essential workers have the protective equipment that they need and receive decent pay and paid leave so there not forced to work when they are sick. Immigrant communities and lifesaving people without being targeted by immigration officials and the need to ensure American Communities and federal investment that needs to thrive. These Racial Disparities addressed, we also need good data. In april, Congress Passed a law to provide Coronavirus Infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Unfortunately, the first report did not divide the comprehensive data we need. Todays briefings is to examine Racial Health disparities in the coronavirus pandemic and we can ensure response. Witnesses are qualified to give us and we hear from Public Health experts positions were coronavirus patients and Community Activists who are seen firsthand by the virus that deepened inequities. I hope this committee will approach these issues respectfully. First provide partisan solutions. Thank you, mr. Chairman. As we start this hearing, are country is facing two different crisis. We are facing the shutdown of our country and economy with covid19 and the pandemic spread throughout the world and we are also dealing with the anger stemming from the senseless murder of george floyd as well as the protests that follow and also the violet writing and burning down some of our cities. My prayers with george floyd and his family, and his david dorans families. Senselessly murdered trying to stop looters. They were trying to protect their communities from senseless violence about spread out of us. This committee should be focused on following the facts and working on solutions to these very Serious Problems and challenges. The covid19 pandemic struck suddenly, its taken over 100,000 lives in this country and its caused lockdown resulting in 40 million jobs lost. Sadly, that is not the only story. Covid19 hit minority communities disproportionately. Its hit lower income americans, especially hard. Its targeted the elderly, its taken a cruel talk americans with underlying Health Conditions like diabetes and cancer. We face an evil enemy we face it of the united country. We understand the grief, we work to flatten the curve, we understand communities are trying to pull together to get through this. In my district which includes parts of the city of new orleans from weve lost over 1300 of our friends and neighbors. More than 400 nursing home residents have died from covid19. Our largest Hospital System reported this week that 77 hospitalized covid19 patients were africanamerican. More than half fatalities have been minorities. Names and faces of victims include people like a friend of mine, a legendary, an educator, patriarch of the marsalis family. Through his fame, and death draws attention to the impact of musicians, artists, particularly in the Africanamerican Community that represent so much of the culture and diversity and vitality of our city. Florida tried to take them she spent six months on a ventilator. Immediately after birth giving birth, she was tested positive. After 72 days, she was finally able to hold her infant son for the very first time. His delivered when she first went into the hospital, who was immediately separated for his safety. Her doctors called it a symbol of hope during time of death and defeat. Nationally, covid19 deaths are nearly two times greater in minority communities than other communities. Navajo nations, the countrys largest reservation now has a higher death rate in any u. S. State except for new york, new jersey, connecticut and massachusetts. New mexico native americans are dying every 19 times that of all populations combined. Were going to do something about the disproportionate impact, we have to ask and answer why this is happening. This is not an american problem alone, all over the globe minorities and lower income people have suffered disproportionally. In america, you know Nursing Homes and assisted living facilities happen places where covid19 has spread into many have died including minorities. We can take immediate steps to reduce the suffering by learning hard lessons weve seen. Lastly, the subcommittee heard from mayor of jacksonville who laid out specifically and cured Nursing Homes, things like new york. Lets hope the rest of the states follow those paths and learn from mistakes, mistakes like new york. Mortality and diabetes are highly correlated. Africanamericans have a disproportionate rate of diabetes. President trump recognizes and the cost of insulin 35 a month for seniors. Last july, the president watched the advancing american in the Health Initiative with stated the goal of reducing americans developing renal disease. Perhaps congress should look at what we can do to help speed up achieving some of these goals. As we discussed last week, reopening the American Economy is critical. The economic and Health Burden of the shutdown has definitely led to a disproportionate impact in minority communities. My home state, almost 45 of the comedy Food Service Workers have lost their job. This is an industry dominated by low income families. Alcohol and drug abuse and leads to people delaying these medical care. Many people back to work is critical to improving healthcare outcomes especially in minority communities. Some of the Solutions Take time. Operation warp speed which the president kicked off will hopefully bring the vaccine we need soon but we know it wont be today. We need to keep working. That shouldnt distract from doing the things we know we can do to help things on the ground and know this administration and Congress Need to continue working together to get this done. I look forward to a good discussion with her when assisted. I yield back. Thank you. Let me think our panelists again and introduce Community Leaders who work with us today. Coronavirus patients in new yo york, the ceo of an organization for Healthcare Providers to give them to each and every patient. A professor at the George Washington university and former Health Commissioner for the city of baltimore. Giving people opportunity. Giving interest of government and communities. Working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, treating workers and other low Income Patients in oregon. I am an emergency medicine physician that im also the founder of advancing health equity. The mission of my resolution is to work with health care and related organizations to close the gap and Racial Health disparities. Irs lane founded this Organization Prior to the Coronavirus Crisis existence by significant advances in health care and technology over the last decades helped the sporty disparities have been profound and persistent but id like to acknowledge the pain and trauma that many black americans are currently experiencing due to the recent killings of George Floyd Breonna Taylor by police and omar arbery by two white civilians. Their deaths like Health Disparities are a symptom of the same deeply rues deeplyrooted disease in this country. Black men have the shortest life expectancy. Black a beast the highest infant mortality rate, black women the highest Maternal Mortality rate in this trend persists despite socioeconomic status and the level of education. Even the chronic stress of living with daily racism results in the weathering effect. Premature physiologic aging of black americans. Living in this country has essentially made black americans sick and over the last three months we have witnessed a crisis layered upon a crisis as black communities across this country have borne the greatest burden of illness and death from the Novel Coronavirus. More than one in 2000 black americans have died from coronavirus. If black americans had died at the same rate of white americans 13,000 black americans would still be alive today. It midmarch with my own eyes and notice the demographics of my patience patients in urgent care clinics where he worked rapidly shift from a racially and socioeconomic diverse population to mostly black many were essential workers bus driver subway conductors Grocery Store workers. Many had underlying medical problems like diabetes can hide Blood Pressure and asthma. Many with no other choice than to use Public Transportation and many displaying typical covid19 symptoms however we did not have adequate supplies at the time to test them. I have been a physician for 15 years and i work in emergency departments. I have never been as scared for my patients as ive been in the past few months. In particular i remember an elderly black man who came in with shortness of breath and fever. His oxygen level was incredibly low. He lived by himself or they was very worried about him and told him i would like to call an ambulance to bring him from urgent care to emergency room. He told me he did not want to go. He did not want to die in the er. He told me he thought he would not receive good care and he felt safer at home. This is not a come on for the Health Care System. Its also based on current and equities. Structural racism or social and economic policies that disadvantage black americans has placed them at risk for illness and death. It has been a Key Driving Force behind the factors that terminate at an individual and Community Health outcomes for the kurds a subcommittee to act urgently and swiftly to mitigate these widespread and appalling Racial Health disparities. This moment must be used for structural change in the form of among other social determinants of health safe and adequate housing gainful Employment Access to quality education and Healthy Foods and health care for all. This country desperately needs a reconciliation process around the racist policies of economic institutions that have left black lives devalued. This is an opportunity to intentionally acknowledge unjustified in ongoing wrongs engage with black amenities and rebuild them and then maybe, just maybe black americans including my patient that i mentioned earlier in my two beautiful boys in the next room playing could have more than a fighting chance against the Novel Coronavirus. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now we will hear from dr. Manny. Chairman clyburn and distinguished subcommittee members thank you for addressing the intersection of Racial Disparities and the covid19 pandemic. I come from the city of baltimore where i am a practicing physician and had the of serving as the Health Commissioner in my city children can expect to live 20 years more or less depending on where they are born in the color of their skin for their Racial Disparities across every metric of health and throughout the United States inequality is years of life in currency. This is what we are seeing with covid19 predicts a new disease that has unmatched longstanding Health Disparities among africanamerican and other minorities who bear the greatest brunt of the pandemic. My written test my outline solutions to address the acute issues and underlying problems and that like to highlight concrete actions. First the federal government must target Public Health resources to minority and other underserved committees but i want to talk about testing not only that it needs to be widespread and free but demographic information must be available for testing as a way to track resource allocation. We see the positive rate in the is 10 but africanamericans ar. That means africanamericans arent attested that my ideal scenario would he a dashboard oe directed to communities most in need. Also our guidance for testing positive at beat a self isolate. Would he you do if you live in crowded multigenerational housing and to have to do something thats impossible while losing at ability to earn income could have joined with other Public Health leaders to call for to be converted into the voluntary selfisolation facilities into place. Second the federal government must ensure they are our clear directive guidelines to protect workers and Health Officials are depended on the cdc for unambiguous guidance. When i dealt with measles and sega. The language in the covid19 guidelines is not what im used to seeing from the cdc. People should not be quote encouraged to do social distancing. What exact standards must be met in meatpacking plants. Mass should not be worn if feasible. They should be required and a clear statement such as if the criteria cannot be mad they cannot be opened. Osha should then enforce these rules as should local and state regulatory entities. Its not just people of color and those whose suffer as system make insecurities is that for the most Big Government needs a National Strategy to prepare for next search. The National Shame we cannot mask another ppe to protect our health care workers. There was no excuse last time and there should be no excuse moving forward. Ppe should not only be available for doctors and nurses, why shouldnt cashiers bus drivers and nursing home attendants who are disproportionately people of color have production and there must be a framework for equitable treatment of vaccines should they become available. Congress must provide further support for local Public Health. Cdcs findings for Public Health impairments have been cut by half over the last decade. Forcing local officials to make tradeoffs between programs free we can agree treating covid19 should not come at the expense of preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing overdose deaths. Longer term there must be attention to Health Disparities that are inextricably linked to housing ability food deserts and black of transportation access. Racism is a publichealth issue indeed a Public Health crisis in and of itself. Id like to end my testimony today with a quote from the former former chairman of the House Oversight committee delayed representative Elijah Cummings from baltimore. He would talk about the work we havent thought about is bigger than us so much bigger than us and its about our children who are messengers to a future that we will never see. That future is one of which the currency of inequality no longer means years of life one in which where people are born and what race they happen to be no longer determined whether they live. Thank you. We will now hear from dr. Chairman clyburn Ranking Member scalise and house of the members of the coronavirus subcommittee. Policies and ideas can improve the lives of americans in the bottom half the economic ladder. We spent the last several months focusing on the impact of covid19 on low income americans all races and ethnicities and we welcome the opportunity to discuss their research specifically on minorities today. My written statement contains more detailed discussion of our findings to my oral remarks are in three topics per first

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