Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): Seema Mohapatra, JD, MPH and Ruqaiijah Yearby, JD, MPH
12:00pm - 1:00pm • via Zoom
2021-01-26 12:00:00 2021-01-26 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): Seema Mohapatra, JD, MPH and Ruqaiijah Yearby, JD, MPH Health Care During COVID-19: Systemic Racism, The Government's Pandemic Response, and Racial Inequities in COVID-19 Seema Mohapatra, JD, MPH, Associate Professor of Law and Dean's Fellow, Indiana University Ruqaiijah Yearby, JD, MPH, Professor of Law and Member, Center for Health Law Studies, Saint Louis University School of Law During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal and state governments has ignored racial and ethnic minorities’ unequal access to employment and health care that results in racial inequities in COVID-19 infections and deaths. In addition, they have enacted laws that further exacerbate these inequities. Consequently, many racial and ethnic minorities are employed in low-wage essential jobs that lack paid sick leave and health insurance. This lack of benefits causes them to go to work even when they are sick and preventing them from receiving appropriate medical treatment. As a result, racial and ethnic minorities have disproportionately been infected and died from COVID-19. Although these actions seem race “neutral,” they exemplify systemic racism, wherein racial and ethnic minorities are deemed inferior to white people, and thus do not receive the same access to resources, such as employment and health care. This essay illustrates how systemic racism has resulted in racial inequities in COVID-19 infections and deaths through case studies in employment and health care. Using the health justice framework, it concludes with suggestions to eradicate systemic racism, redress harm, and engage community in implementing an equitable pandemic response. https://zoom.us/j/92922786283 Passcode: 143520 Please email mary.pham@pennmedicine.upenn.edu to be added to the listserv to receive passwords and announcements. via Zoom Penn Medical EthicsHealth Care During COVID-19: Systemic Racism, The Government's Pandemic Response, and Racial Inequities in COVID-19
Seema Mohapatra, JD, MPH, Associate Professor of Law and Dean's Fellow, Indiana University Ruqaiijah Yearby, JD, MPH, Professor of Law and Member, Center for Health Law Studies, Saint Louis University School of Law
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal and state governments has ignored racial and ethnic minorities’ unequal access to employment and health care that results in racial inequities in COVID-19 infections and deaths. In addition, they have enacted laws that further exacerbate these inequities. Consequently, many racial and ethnic minorities are employed in low-wage essential jobs that lack paid sick leave and health insurance. This lack of benefits causes them to go to work even when they are sick and preventing them from receiving appropriate medical treatment. As a result, racial and ethnic minorities have disproportionately been infected and died from COVID-19. Although these actions seem race “neutral,” they exemplify systemic racism, wherein racial and ethnic minorities are deemed inferior to white people, and thus do not receive the same access to resources, such as employment and health care. This essay illustrates how systemic racism has resulted in racial inequities in COVID-19 infections and deaths through case studies in employment and health care. Using the health justice framework, it concludes with suggestions to eradicate systemic racism, redress harm, and engage community in implementing an equitable pandemic response.