2 min to read JEFFERSONVILLE â Long-standing health inequities affecting low-income communities and communities of color are being exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, COPD and high blood pressure, which disproportionately affect communities of color and poor communities, are exacerbated by both the COVID-19 Virus and its treatment. The lungs are the target of the virus, so people with COPD are at great risk if they contract coronavirus disease. Additionally, current COVID-19 treatments are known to raise blood glucose levels and blood pressure so people with diabetes or high blood pressure who contract the virus face extraordinary risks.