NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH-RISK AND UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - CALIFORNIA?S LARGE AND DIVERSE POPULATION HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES ACROSS COVID-19 INFECTION, HOSPITALIZATION, AND DEATH. COVID-19 HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED MANY POPULATIONS WHO ARE UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING MANY RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE POPULATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE ADDITIONAL RISK DUE TO ELEVATED RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE THAT INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF COVID-19 OUTCOMES AS WELL AS SECONDARY HEALTH IMPACTS. DISPARITIES ARE ALSO REFLECTED AMONG COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE, THOSE LIVING IN SITUATIONS WITH LESS CAPACITY TO SOCIALLY ISOLATE, OR WHO FACE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING INFORMATION, CARE AND SERVICES; INCLUDING ESSENTIAL WORKERS, MIGRANT LABORERS, PERSONS WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH, PERSONS WHO ARE UNHOMED OR UNDOC

Summary

NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS COVID-19 HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG POPULATIONS AT HIGH-RISK AND UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - CALIFORNIA?S LARGE AND DIVERSE POPULATION HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES ACROSS COVID-19 INFECTION, HOSPITALIZATION, AND DEATH. COVID-19 HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED MANY POPULATIONS WHO ARE UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING MANY RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE POPULATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE ADDITIONAL RISK DUE TO ELEVATED RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE THAT INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF COVID-19 OUTCOMES AS WELL AS SECONDARY HEALTH IMPACTS. DISPARITIES ARE ALSO REFLECTED AMONG COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE, THOSE LIVING IN SITUATIONS WITH LESS CAPACITY TO SOCIALLY ISOLATE, OR WHO FACE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING INFORMATION, CARE AND SERVICES; INCLUDING ESSENTIAL WORKERS, MIGRANT LABORERS, PERSONS WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH, PERSONS WHO ARE UNHOMED OR UNDOC