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Rich White People Are Snatching Up Vaccines From Black And Brown Communities As Supplies Dry Up

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An increasing number of reports indicate that rich white people are using their wealth and prestige to secure doses of the coronavirus vaccines by traveling to Black and brown neighborhoods, where statistics show the immunizations are needed the most. The reports come as the U.S. supply of coronavirus vaccines are drying up.

In New York City, which at one point was considered to be the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., local news outlet The City reported on Tuesday that there were “so many white people” being vaccinated in the Washington Heights neighborhood that is home to mostly Dominicans. City officials have announced they expect doses of the vaccine to run out by the end of the week.

In one egregious case outside of the U.S., a wealthy Canadian couple was privileged enough to charter a private plane to fly to get vaccinated in a part of the country where doses were being reserved for “Indigenous elders,” according to the Washington Post.

While President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday his plans to secure millions of more doses, the people being affected the most by the pandemic are being forced to go without the vaccine even though, in theory, they should have had the vaccines made available to them. Black and brown people have been dying at a rate of nearly three times their white counterparts.

And it’s not just in New York City either. Across the country where there are pockets of Black and brown populations, there are reports of a lack of access to the vaccine for those communities.

In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that her administration plans to increase the number of doses to the city Black and brown communities because those are the groups that have been hit the hardest there.

In Boston, the main problem is access to the vaccine for the city’s Black and brown neighborhoods. The Boston Globe found that Blacks and Latinos in Suffolk County, which includes Boston, will “more likely to have to travel farther than white residents for a coveted dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.” Like in Chicago and New York, Boston’s Black and Latino communities are affected the most by the pandemic.

It is a familiar story in Florida’s Miami-Dade County, too: “Just as low-income neighborhoods tended to get hit harder by COVID-19 spread, wealthier neighborhoods are getting their shots at a faster rate,” the Miami Herald reported.

Perhaps even worse, in Dallas, county commissioners wanted to prioritize Black communities for the vaccine, but the state of Texas said no.

The New York Times reported that the wealthy are maneuvering to get the vaccine first, but there was no guarantee they’d be successful in their efforts.

In the meantime, tens of thousands of appointments for vaccinations have been getting canceled while COVID-19 ravages the U.S. during what has been the nation’s deadliest month of the pandemic with at least 80,000 lives lost in January, and counting…

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Notable Black Folks Who Have Contracted The Coronavirus

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Source: askmenow / Getty[/caption]

UPDATED: 2:15 p.m. ET, Jan. 25, 2021 —

After months of seeing the coronavirus ravage other parts of the world, COVID-19‘s widespread effect on the U.S. has increasingly hit home for many Americans as states see as a continuous stream of people become diagnosed with the respiratory illness that turned into a global pandemic. And after a brief spate of the fake news that Black people were somehow immune to contracting the coronavirus, a steady and troubling number of Black folks — including those who are notable and famous — have not only since been diagnosed but many have also died of complications from it.

Men’s college basketball coach Shaka Smart announced Jan. 25 that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Smart tweeted the news as his University of Texas Longhorns team were enjoying major success this season. Scroll down to read more about Smart’s COVID-19 status.

Comedian Dave Chappelle is the latest Black celebrity to contract the coronavirus, a reminder of the pandemic’s harsh effects on Black communities. A spokesperson confirmed his diagnosis with the Associated Press. He is said to be asymptomatic and resting in isolation.

A series of comedic appearances at the Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas have been cancelled for the indefinite future.

Since the onset of the coronavirus Chappelle has held a socially distanced comedy show in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. On an episode of “My Next Guest,” with David Letterman he shared that the shows have helped revitalize the tightly knit community in a time of great despair. Because of the warmer climate Chappelle opted to moved the shows to Austin.

During a 2020 November episode of “Saturday Night Live,” where Chappelle served as host he gave a timely, yet comedic analysis of the virus.

“Do you guys remember what life was like before Covid?” he said. “I do. There was a mass shooting every week. Anyone remember that? Thank God for Covid. Someone had to lock these murderous whites up and keep them in the house.”

After suffering the devastating loss of his mother from COVID-19 in 2020, NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns announced he tested positive on Jan. 15.

“Prior to tonight’s game, I received yet another awful call that I tested positive for COVID. I will immediately isolate and follow every protocol,” the 25-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves center shared on Twitter.

“I pray every day that this nightmare of a virus will subside and I beg everyone to continue to take it seriously by taking all of the necessary precautions. We cannot stop the spread of this virus alone, it must be a group effort by all of us,” he continued.

Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley‘s husband Conan Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday days after he was placed in lockdown with his wife during the mob attack on Capitol Hill last week, CBS Boston reports. Pressley has tested negative. Harris was in the nation’s capitol accompanying Pressley for her swearing-in ceremony after she won her re-election in November.

On Wednesday Pressley thanked her supporters for well wishes on Twitter.

“Thank you for your notes of care and concern. I’m deeply frustrated my husband & staff were put in this position. We’re thinking of all the families across the nation impacted by COVID & the Jan. 6 attack. We wont’ stop fighting for accountability & relief,” she tweeted.

Tim Lester, a former NFL star who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys, died on Jan. 12 from COVID-19 complications. He was 52.

New Jersey congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman announced she was diagnosed with the coronavirus on Monday. Watson Coleman, a cancer survivor, shared she believes she was exposed to COVID-19 last Wednesday during the U.S. Capitol attack, as several of her colleagues refused to wear a mask. Later on Monday she updated her followers letting them know that she was on her way to the hospital to seek an antibody treatment.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, has been hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia, the Alabama city announced. The 39-year-old had been experiencing mild symptoms and was self-quarantined until his hospitalization, AL.com reported. Scroll down to read more about Woodfin’s condition.

Legendary actor Louis Gossett Jr., was diagnosed with the coronavirus but left his local hospital this week out of fear, where he saw a series of COVID-related deaths during his stay according to TMZ. The Oscar winner checked out on Tuesday after staff reportedly begged him to stay out concern for his health. Gossett is 84-years-old and a cancer survivor. He is currently at home isolating under the care of his son. His supporters are asking people to share encouraging messages on social media using the hashtag, #LoveLetterToLou.

Lou Gossett Jr at Academy Awards Show 1996
Source: Bob Riha Jr / Getty

Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore announced Monday that she tested positive for the coronavirus. The Democratic Congresswoman said that while she was “feeling well,” she cautioned people to take the proper precautions.

Previously, Joe Biden adviser Rep. Cedric Richmond tested positive for the coronavirus. He later tested positive for a second time and planned to isolate for 14 days to recover. Richardson travelled to Georgia as well as the president-elect, but was not in close contact. Biden ultimately tested negative.

Olympic gold medalist Arnie Robinson Jr. died on Dec. 2 from complications relating to COVID-19 at age 72. Robinson was known as one of the greatest long jumpers in history.

Country music legend Charley Pride and actress Carole Sutton died after contracting the coronavirus. Scroll down to read more about them.

Formula One superstar Lewis Hamilton tested positive for the coronavirus, according to CBS News. Hamilton will have to sit out the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain. He was tested three times last week which all resulted negative, with the last test taking place on Sunday. “But he up woke Monday morning with mild symptoms and was informed at the same time that a contact prior to arrival in Bahrain had subsequently tested positive,” the Mercedes team said in a released statement. “Lewis, therefore, took a further test and returned a positive result. This has since been confirmed by a retest.”

F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain
Source: Mario Renzi – Formula 1 / Getty

It was in that context that it was announced Nov. 9 that Ben Carson, the world-renowned health physician who is also the Housing and Urban Development secretary, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Word spread quickly on social media about Carson’s diagnosis. The health disclosure came just days after Donald Trump‘s election loss was made official on Saturday, a truth that also affects Carson’s role in the presidential administration that’s being brought to a close by Joe Biden‘s successful candidacy.

Carson is the latest Trump insider to test positive for the coronavirus. Scroll down here to read more about Carson contracting the Covid-19.

Prior to that, Vivica A. Fox announced the 56-year-old actress made the announcement ahead of her hosting duties for the E! network’s live coverage of the red-carpet pre-Emmy Awards show in September.

“I am terribly sorry I cannot be with my E! family tonight!” Fox said in a statement. “Unfortunately, I have tested positive for coronavirus. So, in an abundance of caution, I am isolating myself at home.”

It was immediately unclear how Fox contracted the coronavirus.

Luckily, that wasn’t the case for Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who announced that he, his wife and their two young daughters had all tested positive for the coronavirus. While he said they had all recovered, he also admitted on an Instagram video that he and his wife “had a rough go” with COVID-19 and encouraged people to wear masks so they don’t meet the same fate that he and his family did. His daughters are 2- and 4-years-old.

The Titan Games - Season 2
Source: NBC / Getty

Other notable Black folks who contracted the coronavirus include former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, who died from it in July; Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; comedian D.L. Hughley; and even basketball legend Patrick Ewing came down with it.

The diagnoses have effectively shattered misconceptions about who can contract the coronavirus. Previously, it was believed that the elderly with underlying health conditions were most at risk. And while that remains true, there has seemingly been a surge of cases involving younger age groups and people who had no pre-existing health conditions before their COVID-19 diagnoses.

The cases don’t account for the reports of a growing number of Black people who have been diagnosed with or died of complications from the coronavirus that have seeming flooded this writer’s social media timelines as friends and others grieve their loved ones across the country.

One of the clearest indications that Black people could indeed contract the coronavirus came when it began to affect players in the NBA, a professional sports league that is made up of more than 74 percent of players who are Black. After that came announcements from celebrities who offered cautionary tales to the public about how they may have contracted the illness and ways to prevent others from repeating their errors.

There was also an alarming report out of Milwaukee at the start of the pandemic showing middle-aged Black men have made up the majority of coronavirus cases in the Wisconsin city.

The nation’s system of prisons and jails has also been affected, leaving the disproportionate number of Black inmates increasingly susceptible to the coronavirus. That was especially true in New York, including at the infamous Rikers Island complex where CBS News reported that the coronavirus infection rate is “more than seven times higher than the rate citywide and 87 times higher than the country at large.”

In addition, the nation’s police departments were at risk for the same reasons as the jails and prisons. Most recently, Donafay Collins, a commander with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan, died following complications from the coronavirus. He was 63 years old.

More than a dozen other Wayne County Sheriff’s Office employees have also been diagnosed following a pattern seen at other police departments, including the NYPD, where the New York Post reported that more than 300 cops have tested positive.

Scroll down to see a list of notable Black folks who have contracted the coronavirus as the world tries to flatten the global curve of cases to restore some semblance of societal normalcy. They follow in alphabetical order.” data-prev-gallery=”” data-next-gallery=”https://newsone.com/playlist/drake-coronavirus-kevin-durant-report/” data-count=”54″ data-gallery-url=”” data-gallery-id=”1110278″ data-categories=”Health” data-tags=”Black people,Brad Jordan,coronavirus,COVID-19,Donovan Mitchell,Idris Elba,Kevin Durant,Marc Lamont Hill,NBA,Newsletter,Rapper Scarface,Rudy Gobert,Sabrina Dhowre Elba” data-author=”ionebwright”>


Rich White People Are Snatching Up Vaccines From Black And Brown Communities As Supplies Dry Up 
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