Washington, D.C. (Sunday, March 15, 2020) – The NAACP is sounding the alarm about COVID-19 and how it’s impacting communities of color.  The civil rights organizations is hosting an emergency tele-town hall tonight at 8pm.  The NAACP is calling on persons to sign up to attend and is also releasing a resource guide. Sign up to attend.

NAACP policy experts have outlined key considerations and recommendations in containing the spread of the coronavirus. The full guide is available to download here.

10 Impacts of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak on Communities of Color

1. Racism and stigmatization have increased, particularly towards the Asian and Asian American population.
2. Immigrants, people over 60 years old, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, people with special health needs, and others are at an added risk of exposure and other impacts.
3. Frontline workers face tough choices between abstaining from work or risking exposure.
4. Census and voting may be impacted as public outings continue to dwindle.
5. Coronavirus remediation will result in increased exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals.
6. School students risk exposure due to confined spaces, or food and housing insecurity if schools close.
7. There is a lack of accessibility to testing kits.
8. Quarantine policies and practices are unfolding with a risk to human and civil rights
9. The coronavirus has already been used to justify increased militarization and more restrictive immigration policies and practices.
10. Denial and misinformation on the crisis can worsen the outbreak.

10 Policy Recommendations to Temper the Impact of the Coronavirus on Communities of Color

1. Change the narrative surrounding the crisis, “The virus is the enemy, not the person who is infected.”
2. Adopt policies which increase access to childcare, healthcare and humane, sanitary living conditions to at-risk communities.
3. Advocate for the establishment of a paid leave system for all workers.
4. Extend the data collection period for the Census, extend voting hours, and minimize large gatherings.
5. Significantly increase the stringency of the Toxic Substances Control Act
6. Advocate for provision of food assistance to families enrolled in the free meal program via mobile delivery, food vouchers, and by which students can register for housing assistance through Stafford Act provisions.
7. Prioritize vulnerable groups/populations for testing as soon as kits become available.
8. Establish and enforce a Quarantine Bill of Rights
9. Establish sanctuary sites, repeal the travel ban and repeal of the restrictions on the provision of healthcare to immigrants.
10. Advance litigation for the willful misleading of the public for political gain while jeopardizing the wellbeing of the nation.