Around the country, communities of color continue to be among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. So in many of these communities, local leaders are stepping in to try to help solve a problem they say is years in themaking.

In Richmond, Va., crews of local firefighters and volunteers have been fanning out across the city, going door to door with plastic bags, filled with masks, hand sanitizer, and information about stayinghealthy.

Local health officials say African Americans and Latinos make up the lions share of positive cases here, and 23 out of 29 local deaths from the virus so far have been among thosegroups.

On a recent visit to a public housing complex, Lt. Travis Stokes with the Richmonds fire department said that result was sadly and entirelypredictable.

Its always gonna affect the lower-income communities and the minorities, just for the simple matter of fact that theyve been dealing with things for many, many years, Stokes said. It hasnt gone away; its stillhere.

Richmonds coronavirus data mirrors national statistics that show the vastly disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on communities of color. According to Centers for Disease Control data, Black Americans are hospitalized at about five times the rate of white Americans. For Hispanics, the rate is four times that ofwhites.

Stokes, who recently completed a doctoral degree in health sciences, is helping lead the effort, which targets areas with high rates of poverty and pre-existing health conditions, and with significant numbers of residents who are racial minorities. All are groups considered at heightened risk for thecoronavirus.

Richmond is partnering with the Commonwealth of Virginia to distribute tens of thousands of bags of personal protective equipment in an effort to help address the racialgaps.

Dr. Danny Avula, Richmonds public health director, said another goal is building trust with people who might be fearful of government officials after a long history ofoppression.

Our response to that was, OK, weve got to be on the ground more; weve got to engage in more face-to-face conversation, and we have to find credible voices and faces in those communities to be able to carry the message, Avulasaid.

Leaders and activists around the country are grappling with similar challenges as they try to reach the people at greatestrisk.

In Massachusetts, officials are hiring local workers from community health centers to work as contact tracers who can, in many cases, literally speak the language of the people theyre trying toreach.

Michael Curry, an official with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of the NAACPs national board of directors, said thats important at a time when many people are trying to navigate complicated and sometimes conflicting messages from healthofficials.

Its all so confusing and it makes people very distrustful even moreso distrustful of the system hence why you need to be very intentional about who communicates with them, Currysaid.

In Mississippi, NAACP leaders say theyve been distributing masks to people living in hotspots for thevirus.

Dr. Oliver Brooks, president of the National Medical Association, a group representing black physicians, says efforts like these are a goodstart.

Its really important, because literally right now, people are dying, so you need to have an acute response, Brookssaid.

But Brooks says preventing another crisis like this one will require substantial, systemic changes to improve access to food, housing, employment, and healthcare for people ofcolor.

We have to address the social determinants of health. That is what is putting us at higher risk for poor outcomes, he said. Its the same old story, but thats what needs to bedone.

Angel Dandridge-Riddick, 34, has worked as a nurse and sometimes visits her mother in the public housing complex in Richmond called Creighton Court. On the day of the supply distribution, she said she appreciated the effort to provide protective equipment to people here, but cautioned that its only a smallstart.

What theyre doing is great but to have one hand sanitizer and a few masks if you have three other people in their home that work in different areas, theyre gonna need their own hand sanitizer. One bottles probably gonna last you a week, Dandridge-Riddicksaid.

Whats more, she said, its hard for many of her neighbors to stay healthy during a pandemic, when they often lack basichealthcare.

Im just being honest, a lot of people out here in Creighton Court dont know anything about health care coverage; all they know is Medicaid, she said. And if they cant get it, they dont haveanything.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney says the problems that have compounded this pandemic for many people of color have been around for a long time, and without major structural changes, they will still be around when the pandemic is over. Stoney said he hopes this crisis gives way to long-termchange.

We cant go back to where we were pre-COVID-19; weve gotta go to a different place that ensures that each and every citizen of this country gets the best, Stoney said. No matter what neighborhood they live, or the color of their skin.

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In Minority Neighborhoods, Knocking On Doors To Stop The Spread Of The Coronavirus - OPB News