Gov. John Bel Edwards has launched a new task force to help combat COVID-19 across Louisiana, with an emphasis on helping the state's most vulnerable population.I guess it's good that they are acknowledging the fundamental fact of systemic environmental racism and its impact on health outcomes. But it seems like this, "leverage research capabilities" thing is just a directive to send a political problem off into the corner for to be studied rather than acted upon. Do they really need someone to tell them what the problem is? I think they must know.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that COVID-19-related deaths are disproportionately high among the state's — and the country's — African American communities, where pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure are more prevalent and can contribute to fatalities.
Everyone, the governor said, should "have the opportunity to obtain their highest level of health. This [task force] will leverage research capabilities and intellectual brain power in a collective effort to tackle this issue."
The immediate assignment, Edwards said, is to "make sure communities with health disparities are blanketed with good information on COVID-19 safety and prevention; provide the medical community with best practices and protocols for treating communities with underlying medical conditions and health disparities; and ensure testing availability and ease of access for all communities."Oh, I see. It's worse than I thought. See, they're gonna "blanket the community with good information." As if people trapped in hazardous living conditions just need to be made better aware of what's the matter. But what if they're already aware?
NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) - People in St. John Parish before would tell you how cancer affects nearly every family here, but with the threat of the coronavirus, they say the amount of death in their community is shocking. “Blacks as a whole are being victimized by this in disproportionate numbers,” citizen, Bobby Taylor said.The Governor's task force announcement doesn't say anything about how our burgeoning (and heavily subsidized) petrochemical industry plagues poor and black communities in South Louisiana with cancer and respiratory illness. Seems like a pretty big oversight for a panel looking at underlying co-morbidity issues with COVID 19. Wonder how that happned.
Taylor is accustomed to fighting something he can’t see. He’s long been a part of the concerned citizens of St. John, which protests the nearby rubber plant, Denka-Dupont from emitting chloroprene into the air. An element the EPA has labeled a likely carcinogen. But now, those in St. John Parish, a predominately black community are also dying from coronavirus at an alarming rate.
“The weakest people are going to suffer the most and it’s evident that we are the weakest people in the nation and maybe in the world because of our exposure to the onslaught of these chemicals,” Taylor said.
The LSU tumor registry has found higher cancer rates in St. John parish.
Environmental scientist, Wilma Subra says given the high rate of cancer and other pre-existing conditions, it's no wonder St. John is seeing more coronavirus deaths.
“Those pre-existing conditions are associated with the chemicals that are released in the air by the industrial facility in St. John,” Subra said.
Of course they will be directed to look at the "social determinants" of health. John Bel says we need to find out what those are.
On Friday, Edwards said, "We need to answer what are the social determinants of health disparities and how do we ensure health equity for all of our citizens?"I sure hope they find out.
The task force will begin its work immediately to help minimize the spread across the state and in particular communities where members are the most vulnerable. "The work is going to benefit everyone in the state," Edwards said.
