California is working to implement equity focus in its reopening procedures, which is intended to help communities hardest hit by the virus, and ultimately ensure more counties can stay open amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not unique to California – national data shows that when you have pockets of the population that are not protected, not addressed, you wind up ultimately affecting everybody,” Kevin Klowden, Executive Director of the Milken Institute Center for Regional Economics and the California Center, told the Northern California Record.
The toll can manifest in worsened community spread and overwhelmed health care facilities.
The California Department of Public Health equity requirements took effect Oct. 6.
California is believed to be the first state in the nation to apply the measure as a condition for reopening, ABC7 reported.
“The catch is counties that thought they were on a fast track to reopen will be slowed down,” Klowden said. “San Diego is looking at going to Orange [less restrictive reopening tier] but will have to look at the population that is also economically more disadvantaged. Having that degree of equity will benefit everybody. It’s incredibly important, being able to know that we are not rushing, putting disadvantaged communities at risk.”
A recent Fox and Hounds report cites data on COVID-19’s impact on African-Americans and other races.
“By looking at the entire population in a county, and not just certain numbers or metrics, it’s not just better for the county, it’s better for a sustained reopening,” Klowden said.
Humboldt County recently moved into the Yellow (minimal risk) tier, and higher population areas following the public health guidelines should be able to achieve similar results, Klowden said.
“If you don’t look at the entire population and make the numbers go down, ultimately you pay the price for that,” Klowden said, “And it’s important to realize it’s not going to make that much of a difference; it won’t delay reopenings that long, and it will play a much bigger role that means people can stay open for longer and be at the higher tiers and ultimately function the way they want to.”