LANSING, Mich. — Michigan's Lt. Gov Garlin Gilchrist says when looking at the numbers of black people affected by COVID-19, the numbers speak for themselves and are alarming.
"This COVID-19 pandemic, I think, has shown yet another plight on the health disparities that exist among racial lines in Michigan and frankly around the country," said Gilchrist.
Gilchrist is in charge of leading the state's new "Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities". It's a very personal fight for Gilchrist who has lost 15 people in his life due to the virus.
"The purpose of this task force is to look for specific intervention whether it's communication and community engagement to particular public health interventions that can be targeted toward communities of color, the black community in particular in all the parts of our state, to ensure that not only people know the stakes but that they can take action and that the state can provide necessary resources so that more of our people can survive and that more of our people can thrive and be healthy," said Gilchrist.
Black people make up 14% of Michigan's population but represent 40% of coronavirus deaths so far.
"Clearly there's something that needs to be done," said Gilchrist.
Linda Vail, Ingham County Health Officer says in Ingham County, the rate of positive COVID-19 cases in black residents is three times higher than that of white residents.
"They are coming into this from an appropriate place. They know that we need to be paying attention to this. It is not just going to be a matter of access to care and access to testing. It goes well beyond that," said Vail.
Vail says the task force could help address some of the issues.
"The barriers of silos of communication that aren't necessarily reaching out to our communities of color in ways that we need to reach out to them. Fear of the medical system and the healthcare system and all kinds of things that go into what happens when our African American population is disproportionately burdened by illness and disease so it is absolutely the right move," said Vail.
Gilchrist says the goal is to help save lives.
"The intention is for it to produce results and produce them quickly. We certainly want to take action as soon as possible. That's why we're getting to work and meeting in the coming days and we want this to have an impact because lives are at stake. People have been getting sick, people have been getting hospitalized, people have been passing away and so we need to take action because every day and every moment matters in this pandemic," said Gilchrist.
The task force is set to meet this week to investigate and offer solutions.
Gilchrist says the task force will include leaders from state government and health care professionals from communities that have been hit hardest by the virus.
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