Speaking in the interview with Kavkasia TV host Davit Akubardia on April 29, Georgian politician Gubaz Sanikidze linked the spread of coronavirus to the race and noted that racial differences exist at a medical level. Sanikidze claimed that almost one half of people who died from the coronavirus in the United States are black people, because certain ethnicities and races are more susceptible to the virus.
Gubaz Sanikidze, Victorious Georgia: “For some reason, we have been forbidden from talking about how many people and which ethnic and racial groups have got infected. But the fact is that almost one half of people who died from the coronavirus in New York are black people, while there are no confirmed cases in Africa [Davit Akubardia agrees]. These statistical data are very interesting and … this racial difference exists at a medical level… so, different ethnicities are vulnerable to different viruses … different races, environment and geography have a different impact.”
The information voiced by Gubaz Sanikidze, as if the coronavirus lethality is higher among the black people, because there is a racial difference at a medical level, is not true. Claiming that the susceptibility of racial or ethnic minority groups to COVID-19 as well as high probability of catching the infection by them is due to their genetic predisposition is a manipulation, especially as no specific reasons caused by socio-economic factors are taken into consideration.
- Catching a coronavirus infection is not driven by ethnicity/race
Genetic factor as a possible contributor that makes some ethnic and racial groups more susceptible to the coronavirus has become a matter of discussions in the world. This factor, however, was ruled out by Ewan Birney, the director of the European Bioinformatics Institute, part of the European Molecular Biology Lab.
According to various studies, mainly socio-economic and environmental factors have been named as the reason behind different degrees of exposure to various diseases and viruses among different races and ethnic groups. COVID-19 statistical data in those countries, which record ethnic and racial origin of infected patients and are known for diverse ethnic minority groups, show unequal, disproportionate spread of the virus across various ethnic groups. Among them are the U.S. and the UK. This fact has caused a huge interest about what makes certain racial or ethnic minority groups more vulnerable to the virus and what factors make these groups more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies, a research institute in the United Kingdom – the country with high percentage of different ethnic groups among COVID-19 patients – conducted a study, during which age, gender and geographic profiles were neglected, because these factors failed to explain disproportionate infection risks among different ethnic groups. The study mainly focuses on what is the main determinant of high infection levels among ethnic minority groups.
- According to the report, occupational exposure may partially explain disproportionate deaths for some groups. Key workers are at higher risk of infection through the jobs they do. More than two in ten black African women of working age are employed in health and social care roles.
- The second reason is health-related problems and chronic diseases. At-risk underlying health conditions are especially prevalent among older Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and black Caribbeans. Compared with white British individuals over 60 years of age, Bangladeshis are more than 60% more likely to have a long-term health condition that makes them particularly vulnerable to infection, which may explain excess fatalities in this group.
The report “COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups” published on the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focuses on the same factors and notes that health differences between racial and ethnic groups are often due to economic and social conditions that are more common among some racial and ethnic minorities than whites. The report outlines certain conditions that can isolate people from the resources they need to prepare for and respond to outbreaks: living conditions, work circumstances, underlying health conditions and lower access to care
- Members of racial and ethnic minorities may be more likely to live in densely populated areas because of institutional racism in the form of residential housing segregation. People living in densely populated areas may find it more difficult to practice prevention measures such as social distancing. Research also suggests that racial residential segregation is a fundamental cause of health disparities. Many members of racial and ethnic minorities live in neighborhoods that are further from grocery stores and medical facilities, making it more difficult to receive care. Furthermore, multi-generational households, which may be more common among some racial and ethnic minority families, may find it difficult to take precautions to protect older family members or isolate those who are sick.
- The types of work and policies in the work environments where people in some racial and ethnic groups are overrepresented can also contribute to their risk for getting sick with COVID-19. The risk of infection may be greater for workers in essential industries who continue to work outside the home despite outbreaks in their communities. Workers without paid sick leave might be more likely to continue to work even when they are sick for any reason. This can increase the risks of exposure to COVID-19.
- Existing health disparities, such as poorer underlying health and barriers to getting health care, might make members of many racial and ethnic minority groups especially vulnerable in public health emergencies like outbreaks of COVID-19. Compared to whites, Hispanics are almost 3 times as likely to be uninsured, and African Americans are almost twice as likely to be uninsured. Inadequate access is also driven by a long-standing distrust of the health care system, language barriers, and financial implications associated with missing work to receive care.
The above listed factors are also discussed in the report released by Kaiser Family Foundation and the article published by BBC Future. Income inequality, lack of access to food, underlying health conditions, lack of health insurance, language barriers and housing differences are the factors that determine COVID-19 complications among ethnic minority groups in western countries. One more reason is that undocumented migrants are especially unlikely to seek formal medical care out of fear of being reported to law enforcement.
Prepared by Nika Shekeladze
Myth Detector Lab
