Ibram X. Kendi, a prominent author and historian known for his groundbreaking work on antiracism, joins the discussion to debunk the myth of COVID-19 as 'the great equalizer.' He highlights how the virus disproportionately affected people of color, with mortality rates nearly double that of White individuals. Kendi also reveals the challenges faced by The COVID Tracking Project in navigating CDC data discrepancies and stresses the need for reform in public health infrastructure to prepare for future crises.
The podcast reveals that COVID-19 disproportionately affected communities of color, highlighting deep-seated racial and socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes.
It emphasizes the crucial role of The COVID Tracking Project in addressing data gaps created by the CDC's initial inadequacies during the pandemic.
Deep dives
The Myth of COVID-19 as the Great Equalizer
The podcast challenges the narrative that COVID-19 acted as a great equalizer, highlighting that race and socioeconomic status played significant roles in its impact. Early data showed that while many believed everyone faced equal vulnerability to the virus, the reality was starkly different, as communities of color, particularly Black and Latino populations, experienced disproportionately high infection and mortality rates. As Ibram X. Kendi pointed out, the lack of comprehensive racial data hindered the understanding of these disparities initially, but later analyses revealed a crisis within a crisis in these communities. This contradiction illustrates how deep-seated inequalities were exacerbated by the pandemic, making it clear that COVID-19 did not affect all populations uniformly.
The Need for Accurate Racial Data
In response to the gaps in data regarding racial disparities during the pandemic, the COVID Tracking Project was established to compile and disseminate critical information. The project worked to gather and publish data regarding how COVID-19 impacted various racial and ethnic groups, highlighting that Black individuals were dying at much higher rates compared to their white counterparts. This initiative showed the importance of tracking racial data in understanding the public health crisis and was instrumental in advocating for targeted responses from health authorities. By making data more transparent, the project aimed to not only inform the public but also to rectify systematic inequities that had contributed to the crisis.
The Shortcomings of the CDC and Data Dependence
The podcast discusses the vital role of the COVID Tracking Project due to the CDC's initial inadequacies in providing timely and standardized data during the pandemic. Many states were slow to release data, leading to the Tracking Project stepping in as a crucial resource that compiled information from various jurisdictions. As state health departments struggled with inconsistent reporting methods, the project’s findings became a substitute for official government data, essential for informing policy and public health decisions. This scenario highlighted not only shortcomings within federal health agencies but also underscored the pressing need for a robust and accountable public health infrastructure.
Lessons Learned and Future Preparedness
As the pandemic continues to evolve, the podcast emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the lessons learned regarding public health response, especially in data management and accessibility. Experts like Dr. Rachelle Walensky argue that significant reforms are necessary for the CDC to enhance its capabilities and rectify past mistakes. Ensuring that standardized data is collected and reported consistently across communities is essential for quick and effective responses in any future health crises. This proactive approach is vital not just for managing COVID-19 but also for preparing for potential pandemics, ensuring that historical missteps are not repeated.
At the height of the pandemic, COVID-19 was talked about as “the great equalizer,” an idea touted by celebrities and politicians from Madonna to then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But that was a myth.
Ibram X. Kendi and Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research worked with The COVID Tracking Project to compile national numbers on how COVID-19 affected people of color in the U.S. Their effort, The COVID Racial Data Tracker, showed that people of color died from the disease at around twice the rate of White people.
The COVID Tracking Project’s volunteer data collection team waited months for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to release COVID-19 testing data. But when the CDC finally started publishing the data, it was different from what states were publishing—in some instances, it was off by hundreds of thousands of tests. With no clear answers about why, The COVID Tracking Project’s quest to keep national data flowing every day continued until March 2021.
This week on Reveal: We examine the myth of COVID-19 as “the great equalizer,” what went wrong in the CDC’s response to the pandemic, and whether it’s prepared for the next one.
This Peabody Award-nominated three-part series is hosted by epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera and reported by Artis Curiskis and Kara Oehler from The COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic.
