It is widely reported that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected minority populations, especially Hispanic and African-American communities. Many people were blindsided by the virus when the pandemic began, while some people believed that COVID-19 was not serious or was even nonexistent. Unfortunately, that type of misinformation played a major role in the spread of the virus, particularly among Hispanic and other populations. As of March 2024, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 1.2 million people in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 15 percent of these deaths occurred among Hispanic populations. With an estimated 600 deaths still occurring from COVID-19 weekly, it remains among the top ten causes of death in the nation.

COVID-19 Impact

Today, COVID-19 is either declining or uncertain in many states. The pandemic managed to wipe out what is called the Hispanic mortality rate advantage. This advantage refers to the lower mortality rates that Hispanic adults have experienced for decades when compared to other populations. This wipe out is due in part to social determinants or the social conditions under which people live. Social determinants include racial discrimination, jobs, access to health care and nutritious food, and language and literacy skills. For instance, Hispanics and other minorities are more likely to live in a household with multiple generations. They are also more likely to be frontline public workers with little ability to social distance and may have difficulty accessing health care.

Furthermore, at the start of the pandemic, a Pew Research Center report indicated that nearly half of Hispanics in the US knew someone who was hospitalized or had died because of the virus. The report also said nearly half of the Hispanic population knew someone who lost their job or took a pay cut because of the pandemic. For immigrants, the negative impacts were even greater. Nearly 58 percent of Hispanic immigrants without citizenship or a green card lost their jobs or partial wages because of COVID-related shutdowns. The loss of income led to hardships, such as limited funds to pay for rent, food, health care, or childcare. Nearly 78 percent of Hispanic households experienced one or more of these hardships.

Vaccine Hesitancy

The CDC still recommends that people get vaccinated for COVID-19 and other diseases, like measles, that are on the rise. Yet, vaccine hesitancy still exists among Hispanic and other populations. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that only 20 percent of Americans consider COVID-19 a major health threat and only 10 percent are concerned about getting the virus and being hospitalized. Only 27 percent of Hispanics have received the latest COVID-19 vaccine compared to 28 percent among Whites, 29 percent among Blacks, and 35 percent among Asians.

The decline in concern is believed to stem from the federal government ending the public health emergency in May 2023 and the improvement in the economy. In addition, the CDC issued a shortened isolation period for those recovering from infection.

COVID in Alabama

In Alabama, Hispanics comprise 4.6 percent of the total population, 2.4 percent of COVID-19 cases, and approximately 1.4 percent of COVID-related deaths. These numbers indicate a slight decline in COVID-19 cases among the Hispanic populations in the state. Yet, COVID-19 is still a major health concern. According to the CDC, some wastewater treatment plants in Alabama have reported higher virus activity occurrences exceeding the national average. The virus remains prevalent, even if people do not have symptoms.

More Information

Visit the CDC and the Alabama Public Health Department websites for updated information on COVID-19. You can also browse Alabama Extension’s website at www.aces.edu for additional COVID-19 information.