by Rob Taylor Jr.
Courier Staff Writer
Allegheny County is about 82 percent White. But of the total coronavirus cases in the county as of June 28, 61 percent are White. That’s 21 percentage points below the total White population.
Allegheny County is about 14 percent Black. But of the total coronavirus cases in the county as of June 28, 24 percent are Black. That’s 10 percentage points above the total Black population.
If that doesn’t tell you that coronavirus is still disproportionately affecting Pittsburgh’s Black community, then wipe your eyes again.
Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald and County Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen noticed the huge jump in coronavirus cases in the past week in the county, and decided to ban all alcohol sales for in-house consumption at bars and restaurants, an order that began on June 30 at 5 p.m.
That order, in effect, will stop all the partying on the South Side, North Shore, and other millenial hot spots. It’s the younger people who have been testing positive for the virus, county officials said. But oftentimes, it’s not the young people who are dying from the virus, but the older family members that they may come across. Most times, the young people could pass the virus to the older people unknowingly.
The county officials also said a face covering is required when entering any business, including dine-in restaurants, unless a person is eating. The officials stressed to restaurants to make sure social distancing is being practiced.
It’s unclear how long the ban on on-site alcohol consumption at bars and restaurants in Allegheny County will last. As one would expect, most bar and restaurant owners aren’t happy about the news, which broke on Sunday afternoon, June 28.
A deeper look into the coronavirus data provided by Allegheny County shows that African Americans account for 31 percent of all hospitalizations, 17 percent more than the population percentage for African Americans.
And of the 186 people who have died in the county from coronavirus as of June 28, 35 (or 19 percent) were Black. Two deaths are listed as unknown.
When the death of George Floyd occurred on May 25 in Minneapolis, the U.S. shifted its focus to championing equity and equality for African Americans, through protests, demonstrations, and online petitions and campaigns.
Mix that with most of the U.S. easing its restrictions for its constituents, similar to how Allegheny County moved from the “yellow” phase to the “green phase” in June, and the country is seeing an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases.
Officials at the local and state level are urging residents to wear a face covering while in public at all times, stay at least six feet from the next person, and not to congregate with large numbers of groups. Handwashing should be a multiple-times-per-day occurrence.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Blacks have a coronavirus case rate five times that of Whites nationally. The CDC’s data also revealed that, although the U.S. is just 13 percent African American, Blacks comprised 23 percent of all coronavirus cases nationally.
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CORONAVIRUS
IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY
As of June 29, 2020
Blacks account for 627 of the 2,651 cases (24 percent) of coronavirus cases of which the race is known. In 240 additional cases, the race is unknown.
From those cases, Blacks account for 120 of the 386
hospitalizations (31 percent) of which the race is known.
In 7 additional hospitalizations, the race is unknown.
Blacks account for 35 of the 186 deaths (19 percent) due to coronavirus of which the race is known. In 2 additional deaths, the race is unknown.
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