The Political Hat

     Apparently a major metropolis in a state where the now-former Governor killed off grannies doesn’t think that Covid is as big of a health problem as… racial wrongthink.

“To build a healthier New York City, we must confront racism as a public health crisis,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “The COVID-19 pandemic magnified inequities, leading to suffering disproportionately borne by communities of color in our City and across our nation. But these inequities are not inevitable. Today is an historic day for the country’s oldest Board of Health to officially recognize this crisis and demand action.”

“We’ve seen for years the negative impact racism has in our public health data and today, we’re recommitting ourselves to building a more equitable City,” said First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer Dr. Torian Easterling. “I thank the Board of Health for sharing our commitment to dismantling systemic racism.

The resolution recognizes the impact of racism on the health of New Yorkers and requests the Health Department perform a series of actions, including:

1.    That the NYC Health Department research, clarify, and acknowledge examples of its historic role in divesting and underinvesting in critical community-led health programs, and participate in a truth and reconciliation process with communities harmed by these actions when possible;
2.    That the NYC Health Department establish a Data for Equity internal working group to ensure the agency apply an intersectional, anti-racism equity lens to public health data and provide annual guidance to other NYC Mayoral agencies on best practices to collect and make available to the Health Department relevant data to track and improve health equity;
3.    That the NYC Health Department make recommendations on anti-racism, health-related NYC Charter revisions to the newly established Mayoral Racial Justice Commission to strengthen the NYC’s effort to combat racism;
4.    That the NYC Health Department continue collaborations with sister agencies to report on fatalities, injuries, health conditions, by race, gender, and other demographics, to improve data quality and care;
5.   That the NYC Health Department in consultation with relevant community organizations perform an anti-racism review of the NYC Health Code to identify any existing provisions that support systemic and structural racism and bias and recommend new provisions to dismantle systemic and structural racism and bias;
6.    That the NYC Health Department partner with city agencies and relevant organizations, consistent with Local Law 174 (dated October 13, 2019) and Executive Order 45 (dated May 8, 2019), to advise on assessments of structural racism within policies, plans and budgets related to all determinants of health (transportation, education, housing, economic opportunities, civic participation and healthcare delivery contexts) and make recommendations to mitigate harm within a public health context; and
7.    That the NYC Health Department report twice each year to the BOH to promote the work associated with this resolution and to ensure Health Department accountability on progress.

     This is a doubling down of a previous declaration from last year.

Statement from @nycHealthy: #RacismIsAPublicHealthCrisis pic.twitter.com/F7alsOrBqK

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) June 8, 2020

New York is but one of many jurisdictions that have declared that thinking about race to be a “health threat” that they must change, with all the impetus of stopping the Black Death.

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