Black Ohioans make up 18% of COVID-19 cases in the state. The COVID Tracking Project flagged the group’s case proportion as suggestive of ethnic disparity due to three criteria: it is at least 33% higher than the Census Percentage of Population, it remains elevated whether the project includes or excludes cases with unknown race or ethnicity and it is based on at least 30 actual cases or deaths. It is no secret that the novel coronavirus has disproportionately affected Black, Native American and Latinx communities across the country. I would propose a story focusing on the social and health factors that disproportionately affect Black Ohioans and contribute to the large proportion of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Word count: 1,500
Potential sources:
- Testimonies from Black residents who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus or families who have lost a loved one
- Ohio Department of Health
- Social epidemiologists
- Advocacy groups