COVID-19 Demographics

This is the second of a two part series. Yesterday offered a wide angle, big picture view of how the pandemic has impacted the US economy. Today will zoom in to look at demographic differences and trends. 

CDC Analysis of Demographic Characteristics of COVID-19 Cases in the US

Data snapshot as of April 23, 2020	Number of of cases (% of total)
Age group (years)	< 18	18-44	45-64	65-74	75+	Unknown*	Total
Among those with race specified
American Indian or Alaska Native	37 (1.0 %)	564 (0.7 %)	495 (0.5 %)	142 (0.4 %)	103 (0.2 %)	84 (0.4 %)	1,425 (0.5 %)
Asian	175 (4.5 %)	4,641 (5.5 %)	5,137 (5.4 %)	1,597 (4.6 %)	1,728 (3.8 %)	920 (4.7 %)	14,198 (5.0 %)
Black or African American	958 (24.8 %)	23,922 (28.5 %)	30,907 (32.3 %)	11,353 (32.9 %)	10,618 (23.5 %)	7,297 (37.0 %)	85,055 (30.1 %)
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	14 (0.4 %)	320 (0.4 %)	271 (0.3 %)	87 (0.3 %)	61 (0.1 %)	47 (0.2 %)	800 (0.3 %)
White	2,018 (52.2 %)	41,971 (50.0 %)	46,602 (48.7 %)	17,916 (52.0 %)	29,166 (64.6 %)	7,697 (39.0 %)	145,370 (51.4 %)
Multiple/other	666 (17.2 %)	12,600 (15.0 %)	12,304 (12.9 %)	3,391 (9.8 %)	3,484 (7.7 %)	3,670 (18.6 %)	36,115 (12.8 %)
Among those with ethnicity specified
Hispanic/Latino	1,338 (38.1 %)	21,782 (29.7 %)	19,602 (24.2 %)	4,896 (17.5 %)	4,568 (13.1 %)	5,056 (29.1 %)	57,242 (24.0 %)
Non-Hispanic/Latino	2,177 (61.9 %)	51,562 (70.3 %)	61,492 (75.8 %)	23,076 (82.5 %)	30,334 (86.9 %)	12,329 (70.9 %)	180,970 (76.0 %)
Totals	12,791 (2%)	236,469 (35.2%)	239,190 (35.6%)	69,253 (10.3%)	79,990 (11.9%)	33,792* (5%)	671,485 (100%)
Race missing/unspecified*	8,923 (69.8 %)	152,451 (64.5 %)	143,474 (60.0 %)	34,767 (50.2 %)	34,830 (43.5 %)	14,077 (41.7 %)	388,522 (57.9 %)
Race specified	3,868 (30.2 %)	84,018 (35.5 %)	95,716 (40.0 %)	34,486 (49.8 %)	45,160 (56.5 %)	19,715 (58.3 %)	282,963 (42.1 %)
Ethnicity missing/unspecified*	9,276 (72.5 %)	163,125 (69.0 %)	158,096 (66.1 %)	41,281 (59.6 %)	45,088 (56.4 %)	16,407 (48.6 %)	433,273 (64.5 %)
Ethnicity specified	3,515 (27.5 %)	73,344 (31.0 %)	81,094 (33.9 %)	27,972 (40.4 %)	34,902 (43.6 %)	17,385 (51.4 %)	238,212 (35.5 %)

*The amount of unknown, missing or unspecified information in the US CDC data set is unfortunate. Currently 42% of race, 49% of ethnicity, and 5% of age data is unconfirmed. If these data inconsistencies can be corrected then hopefully more accurate and useful data analysis will become available.

Age

While 2% of US cases involve patients under the age of 18, roughly 35% are between 18 and 44 with another 36% between 45 and 64. Only 22% of cases impact people age 65 and older though CDC provisional death counts show 80% of older patients die. 

Ethnicity and Race

Preliminary CDC data analysis indicates people of color (non-whites) are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. News reports of racial disparity include the following:

• 400 health professionals pressed HHS for minority access to tests.
• African American communities need additional support to effectively deal with the crisis.
• Ben & Jerry explained how the US substituted slavery with mass incarcerations.
• Black Americans face barriers to health care made worse by lack of insurance.
• Coronavirus magnifies racial inequities, especially among African Americans and Latinos.
• COVID-19 has impacted NC African Americans disproportionately due to long standing inequities and biases.  
• Data can help save black and brown lives during pandemic.  
• Kevin Myles lives in Atlanta and thinks the GA reopen timeline may be similar to the Tuskegee Experiment, utilizing African-Americans as guinea pigs. He encourages all people to stay home for their health and safety.
• Low income earners and Hispanics have been hit hardest financially.
• Magic Johnson and Madeleine Albright noted parallels between AIDS and coronavirus messaging.
• Navajo Nation has been hit hard, prompting tribal leaders to join lawsuit against federal government over coronavirus relief funding distribution.
• Now This Politics video explains the history of systemic institutional racism and implicit bias.
• OPINION:  racial implications of coronavirus.
• Surgeon General Jerome Adams was criticized for targeting communications toward African Americans and Latinos to encourage personal responsibility despite his acknowledgement of structural socioeconomic factors.
• Urban cores and racial minorities have been disproportionately impacted.

Gender and Sex

Forbes noted that one common denominator among countries with better responses to the coronavirus crisis is female leadership. A friend recently lamented that the pandemic has been especially bad for men since they are losing $1 for every 79 cents women lose in the US economy. All jokes aside, men may be twice as likely as women to die from coronavirus. And a CDC study indicated coronavirus is more prevalent in young boys than young girls. The reasons are not clear though scientists continue to study these trends.

Vulnerable Populations

Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19. People living or working in nursing homes are especially vulnerable due to supply shortages, lapses in care, a lack of transparency and inadequate infection control precautions.

Veterans are particularly vulnerable due to 8 risk factors. The number of cases and deaths within the Veterans Affairs health system continues to rise. Veterans homes in 16 states have been hit especially hard despite nearly $20 billion in coronavirus relief funding specifically for veterans programs.

Inmates and prison workers are also at risk for higher rates of infection and death. The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Marshall Project track the spread of coronavirus in prisons while federal authorities monitor and adjust guidance for the early release or home confinement of some inmates. Related news stories include:

• Advocates for the incarcerated are hopeful temporary changes might lead to reforms.
• FL man released from prison due to coronavirus threat arrested for murder.
• Former inmate with essential job gave his stimulus check to someone else.
• MI inmate died weeks before scheduled release.
• Prisons and jails across America are turning into coronavirus Petri dishes.
• US Supreme court requires unanimous jury for serious crimes in both federal and state courts, a move that appears to please both sides of the political divide.

USAFacts.org provides additional statistical analyses including national spending on healthcare services, top causes of death in the US, and various economic impacts.

In the spirit of spreading happy, positive, and/or silly vibes:

• Klara Sjöberg’s amazing video is a fresh take on The Kids in the Hall head crusher.   
• Some Good News with John Krasinski, episode 4 – Prom 2020.
• Daily Show looks at coronavirus, racism and African American disparities (funny / not funny).  

Daily pandemic update:  

For the 10th day in a row, China reported no new deaths with all but one of its new cases imported. The total death toll in the United States passed 50,000 amid more than 880,000 reported cases. Spain's daily virus toll rose slightly with 378 fatalities, taking the country's total deaths to 22,902 amid 223,759 infections. Qatar recorded its largest daily increase with 761 new reported cases; a total of 8,525 cases have been reported in the country with 10 deaths. 

The UN and world leaders launched a new push to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines for COVID-19. Meanwhile, testing of an experimental vaccine began on healthy volunteers at University of Oxford in Britain, the latest in a cluster of early-stage studies in search of protection against the coronavirus.  Aljazeera.com timeline. 

25 Apr 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
14:58 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	2,734,102	2,863,073	191,189	199,486	751,408	816,003
US	886,709	928,370	50,243	52,359	85,922	110,490
NY	271,162	277,165	20,982	21,368	30,817	30,817
CT	23,100	23,100	1,639	1,639	63	63
NC	7,822	8,204	281	290	1,302	1,302

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously. 

Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/     https://www.coronainusa.com/   

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 in the US.

In the news:  

• Autopsies proved 2 CA residents died of coronavirus in February, weeks earlier than first presumed US death.
• Coronavirus may have begun silently spreading as early as January in some US cities.  
• COVID-19 fears keep some people from hospitals when they need urgent care.
• Las Vegas mayor attempted to explain reopen rationale in contrast to NV governor stay at home strategy. 
• US Navy recommended reinstating USS Roosevelt Captain Crozier; crew tested: 800+ positive, 4000+ negative, some pending. 
• White House could alter daily briefings to limit Trump’s role.  

Following Kenny Beck’s lead to share a few signs of hope:

• Team Rubicon mobilizes veterans and first responders to serve vulnerable neighbors in response to the coronavirus outbreak. 
• TX doctor is living in kids’ tree house during quarantine from family.
• While Steph Curry home schools his kids, his Eat Learn Play foundation provides more than 1 million meals to kids in Oakland, CA.

In my personal life…

The Greensboro Children’s Museum incrEDIBLE Plant Sale is this weekend with curbside service due to COVID-19. Yesterday I searched online to pre-order a few plants but most everything was already sold out. I need/want some lettuce and marigolds. Considering ordering seeds online, or perhaps leaving the house to purchase seed packets and/or plants locally.