Pennsylvania Health Officials Discuss Concern Over How COVID-19 Is Impacting African American Communities

Gov. Tom Wolf says he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about the issue.

REMOTELY CLOSE TO THE LEVEL.NATASHA BROWN, CBS-3, "EYEWITNESS NEWS."THERE IS CONCERN OVER HOWCOVID-19 IS IMPACTINGAFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIESIN OUR AREA MORE THAN OTHERS.DURING THEIR DAILY NEWSCONFERENCE TODAY, PENNSYLVANIAHEALTH OFFICIALS TOUCHED ONTHOSE CONCERNS.WE HAVE BEEN CONCERNEDABOUT HEALTH EQUITY AND WHENWE CALL THE SOCIALDETERMINANTS OF HEALTH NOW FORYEARS, THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTSOF HEALTH INCLUDE ECONOMICOPPORTUNITY.THEY INCLUDE NUTRITION.THEY INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENT.THEY INCLUDE TRANSPORTATIONAND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARECHALLENGES IN HEALTH EQUITYFOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, AS WELLAS HISPANIC AMERICANS, INPENNSYLVANIA, AND THROUGHOUTTHE NATION.SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THEDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INCOLLABORATION WITH THEDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICESAND GOVERNOR WOLF'SADMINISTRATION BEFORE COVID-1919 OCCURRED, OF COURSE THOSESAME DISPARITIES ARE EVEN MORESIGNIFICANT NOW THAT WE AREGLOBAL PANDEMIC.SO WE WILL BE WORKING AGAIN,TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSEHEALTH DISPARITIES DO NOTINFLUENCE SOMEONE'S ABILITY TOGET THE CARE THEY NEED TOTREAT COVID-19.AND FOLLOWING WHAT DOCTORLEVIN SAID, GOVERNOR WOLF SAYSHE SPOKE TO VICE PRESIDENT