New hospital brings hope of easing COVID-19 disparity killing more Black people in D.C.

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — Since the spring, American Public Media’s research lab has taken on the task of breaking down the U.S. COVID-19 death rate by race.

“We'd all love to be done with this virus, but it's really not done with us,” says researcher Andi Egbert.

The results have been sobering.

We'd all love to be done with this virus but it's really not done with us.

Egbert says “if blacks and whites were simply dying at the same rate, 16,000 Black Americans would still be with us.”

Out of the D.M.V. region and in fact, out of the entire country, the District of Columbia is seeing the absolute worst of this racial disparity.

“I mean, sadly, the magnitude of the disparity is greater in D.C. than anywhere else,” according to Egbert.

According to data from APM Research Lab, Black people in D.C. are dying from coronavirus at a rate six times higher than whites.

“Well, why are you shocked?” asked Vincent Gray.

“I instinctively knew, you know, what things were gonna look like once we started getting the data," said Qubilah Huddleston.

For former Mayor Vincent Gray and policy analysis Qubulah Huddleston, the news was not surprising.

Huddleston and theD.C. Fiscal Policy Institute are suggesting things like essential duty pay, and improved access to healthcare to help address the underlying causes of the racial disparity.

ALSO READ:Saving Black lives: Policymakers examine the COVID-19 disparity in D.C.

“It's the fact that they're living in food deserts and have been for years, and don't have quality healthcare, and Black D.C. residents, in particular, have been forced to work low wage jobs,” says Huddleston.

Former Mayor and current D.C. Council Member, Vincent Gray hopes that soon, he can accomplish a years-long goal of bringing a new hospital to St. Elizabeth’s East in Ward 8.

This is going to be, I’ll say, a game changer.

Gray says “this has the opportunity to create the first-ever health care system in Wards 7 and ward 8.”

The proposed partnership with Universal Health Services, the operating partner of George Washington University Hospital, would also bring the first two urgent care centers east of the Anacostia River.

The health system would serve up to 160,000 people and nearly half of D.C.’s Black population.

If the plan passes the council “this is going to be, I’ll say, a game-changer,” says Gray.

DIGITAL EXTRA: Gray on the "game-changer" of a proposed new healthcare system in Southeast D.C.: