California adds COVID-19 equity requirement for reopening

Counties must reduce coronavirus infections in hardest-hit communities

By Maura Dolan for the San Diego Union Tribune

California’s larger counties will not be permitted to reopen their economies further unless they reduce coronavirus infections in the hardest-hit places where the poor, Black people, Latinos and Pacific Islanders live.

Under a new state requirement for reopening during the pandemic, counties with more than 106,000 residents must bring infections down in these places and invest heavily there in testing, contact tracing, outreach and providing the means for infected people to isolate. 

The measure is designed to ensure that test positivity rates in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods do not significantly exceed a county’s overall rate, a disparity that has been widespread during the pandemic.

The new requirements, which take effect Tuesday, may make it difficult for some counties to reopen as quickly and broadly as local leaders would like. 

Black people, Latinos and Pacific Islanders have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic. Many are essential workers, lack easy access to health care or live in crowded conditions.

“Our entire state has come together to redouble our efforts to reduce the devastating toll COVID-19 has had on our Latino, Black and Pacific Islander communities,” the state’s acting public health officer, Dr. Erica Pan, said in a news release. 

“This isn’t just a matter of higher cases in these communities — it is an issue of life and death that is hurting all Californians,” she said. “An all-community, cross-sector approach to work together to slow the transmission of COVID in all populations will help ensure we reopen our economy safely, protect our essential workers and support our local partners.”

State officials announced weeks ago that a new “equity” measure would be added. It was unveiled on the state’s Department of Public Health website Wednesday.

Most counties have significant differences in the coronavirus positivity rate between richer and poorer neighborhoods. The prevalence of disease in one neighborhood adds to the risks for the entire county, the state said.”

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Friends, this is why we’re working in partnership with the San Diego Latino Health Coalition and amazing promotoras like Miriam! Resources are out there. Education is out there. A healthy reopening of our economy is possible, but we must work in partnership and focus on more equitable services if we’re going to get there!