Jerry Ramos spent his final days in a California hospital, connected to an oxygen machine to help him fight COVID-19. But his 3-year-old daughter was in his thoughts. Ramos wrote on Facebook, “I have to be here to watch my princess grow up.” He did not live to see it. He died on Feb. 15 at the age of 32. The Mexican-American restaurant worker became one of the 600,000 Americans who have died from the virus so far. His death also represented the pandemic’s effect on the racial and ethnic inequalities in the U.S. During the first wave of deaths in April 2020, the virus went through cities with large Black populations in the Northeast, as well as Detroit, Michigan and New Orleans in Louisiana. Black Americans were hit the hardest during that time. During a second increase last summer, high cases of infection in the states of Texas and Florida caused Hispanics to die at the highest rate. And during the third winter increase, the worst of all, cases were high across the entire country. The weekly death rates narrowed so much that whites were the worst off. And Hispanics closely followed. Now, the virus has slowed and more people are getting vaccinated. But Blacks and Hispanics continue to die at higher rates than other groups. An Associated Press study shows that, overall, Black and Hispanic Americans have less access to medical care and are in poorer health. They have higher rates of health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to have jobs that require their physical presence at work. They are less able to work from home. They are also more likely to live in larger households, where family members may spread the virus. Black Americans account for 15 percent of all COVID-19 deaths where race is known. Hispanics represent 19 percent, whites 61 percent and Asian Americans 4 percent. Those numbers are close to each groups' share of the U.S. population. But a closer look at age shows a clearer picture of inequality. Blacks and Hispanics are younger on average than whites. So it would make sense that they would die at lower rates from a disease that severely affects older populations. But that is not what is happening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at death rates, adjusting for population age differences. The CDC estimates that Native Americans, Hispanics and Blacks are two to three times more likely than whites to die of COVID-19. The AP research also found that Hispanics, like Ramos, are dying at much younger ages than other groups. Thirty-seven percent of Hispanic deaths were of those under 65, versus 12 percent for white Americans and 30 percent for Black people. Hispanics between 30 and 39 have died at five times the rate of white people in the same age group. Public health experts say the nation needs to look at these differences.
Title: US Passes 600,000 COVID Deaths, Racial Inequalities Remain
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='US Passes 600,000 COVID Deaths, Racial Inequalities Remain' data-article-id='5695'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11604'>Jerry Ramos spent his final days in a California hospital, connected to an oxygen machine to help him fight COVID-19. </span> <span data-start-time='11604' data-end-time='15563'>But his 3-year-old daughter was in his thoughts.</span> <span data-start-time='15563' data-end-time='21542'>Ramos wrote on Facebook, “I have to be here to watch my princess grow up.” </span> <span data-start-time='21542' data-end-time='23896'>He did not live to see it. </span> <span data-start-time='23896' data-end-time='28479'>He died on Feb. 15 at the age of 32.</span> <span data-start-time='28479' data-end-time='37813'>The Mexican-American restaurant worker became one of the 600,000 Americans who have died from the virus so far. </span> <span data-start-time='37813' data-end-time='46917'>His death also represented the pandemic’s effect on the racial and ethnic inequalities in the U.S.</span> <span data-start-time='46917' data-end-time='64833'>During the first wave of deaths in April 2020, the virus went through cities with large Black populations in the Northeast, as well as Detroit, Michigan and New Orleans in Louisiana. </span> <span data-start-time='64833' data-end-time='69708'>Black Americans were hit the hardest during that time.</span> <span data-start-time='69708' data-end-time='82354'>During a second increase last summer, high cases of infection in the states of Texas and Florida caused Hispanics to die at the highest rate.</span> <span data-start-time='82354' data-end-time='91958'>And during the third winter increase, the worst of all, cases were high across the entire country.</span> <span data-start-time='91958' data-end-time='97938'>The weekly death rates narrowed so much that whites were the worst off. </span> <span data-start-time='97938' data-end-time='101396'>And Hispanics closely followed.</span> <span data-start-time='101396' data-end-time='107104'>Now, the virus has slowed and more people are getting vaccinated. </span> <span data-start-time='107104' data-end-time='113708'>But Blacks and Hispanics continue to die at higher rates than other groups.</span> <span data-start-time='113708' data-end-time='127333'>An Associated Press study shows that, overall, Black and Hispanic Americans have less access to medical care and are in poorer health. </span> <span data-start-time='127333' data-end-time='134771'>They have higher rates of health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.</span> <span data-start-time='134771' data-end-time='143396'>Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to have jobs that require their physical presence at work.</span> <span data-start-time='143396' data-end-time='147208'>They are less able to work from home. </span> <span data-start-time='147208' data-end-time='156458'>They are also more likely to live in larger households, where family members may spread the virus.</span> <span data-start-time='156458' data-end-time='166333'>Black Americans account for 15 percent of all COVID-19 deaths where race is known. </span> <span data-start-time='166333' data-end-time='175771'>Hispanics represent 19 percent, whites 61 percent and Asian Americans 4 percent. </span> <span data-start-time='175771' data-end-time='182375'>Those numbers are close to each groups' share of the U.S. population. </span> <span data-start-time='182375' data-end-time='188292'>But a closer look at age shows a clearer picture of inequality.</span> <span data-start-time='188292' data-end-time='193771'>Blacks and Hispanics are younger on average than whites. </span> <span data-start-time='193771' data-end-time='204146'>So it would make sense that they would die at lower rates from a disease that severely affects older populations. </span> <span data-start-time='204146' data-end-time='207396'>But that is not what is happening.</span> <span data-start-time='207396' data-end-time='218521'>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at death rates, adjusting for population age differences. </span> <span data-start-time='218521' data-end-time='232708'>The CDC estimates that Native Americans, Hispanics and Blacks are two to three times more likely than whites to die of COVID-19.</span> <span data-start-time='232708' data-end-time='243750'>The AP research also found that Hispanics, like Ramos, are dying at much younger ages than other groups.</span> <span data-start-time='243750' data-end-time='255646'>Thirty-seven percent of Hispanic deaths were of those under 65, versus 12 percent for white Americans and 30 percent for Black people. </span> <span data-start-time='255646' data-end-time='266208'>Hispanics between 30 and 39 have died at five times the rate of white people in the same age group.</span> <span data-start-time='266208' data-end-time='272458'>Public health experts say the nation needs to look at these differences.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17587 data-hint-location='91958' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/what_does_it_mean_to_narrow.wav'>What does it mean to narrow?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='to become or make more limited or restricted in extent or scope'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/to_become_or_make_more_limited_or_restricted_in_extent_or_scope.wav'><span>to become or make more limited or restricted in extent or scope</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/to_indulge_in_an_unrestrained_way_in.wav'><span>to indulge in an unrestrained way in</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/to_make_a_hole_or_tunnel.wav'><span>to make a hole or tunnel</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/to_speak_in_a_slow_lazy_way_with_prolonged_vowel_sounds.wav'><span>to speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17588 data-hint-location='28479' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/more_than_how_many_americans_have_died_from_covid19_so_far.wav'>More than how many Americans have died from COVID-19 so far?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='600,000'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/600000.wav'><span>600,000</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/1_milion.wav'><span>1 milion</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/60000.wav'><span>60,000</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/6_million.wav'><span>6 million</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17589 data-hint-location='101396' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/now_the_virus_has_slowed_and_more_people_are_getting__blank__.wav'>Now, the virus has slowed and more people are getting <span class='blank'>vaccinated</span>. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='vaccinated'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/vaccinated.wav'><span>vaccinated</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/hungry.wav'><span>hungry</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/sick.wav'><span>sick</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5157/money.wav'><span>money</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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