Black, Hispanic, and American Indian Children Make Up Most Covid-19 Deaths Among Kids

A new CDC report reveals disparities in coronavirus fatality rates

While children are less likely to die from a Covid-19 infection compared to adults, a new federal study reveals a tragic disparity in coronavirus fatality rates among young people under age 21.

The report, published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at 391,814 cases of Covid-19 among young people under age 21, which included 121 deaths. Even though Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native people account for 41% of the American population under age 21, these three groups accounted for about 75% of deaths from Covid-19 in this age group.

“These racial/ethnic groups are also disproportionately represented among essential workers unable to work from their homes, resulting in higher risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 with potential secondary transmission among household members, including infants, children, adolescents, and young adults,” the researchers write.

The Long History of Redlining Makes Covid-19 Worse for Black Americans

There are a few possible reasons for the fatality rate disparities, the CDC report says. Social determinants of health like…