How Data Can Address COVID-19's Disproportionate Impact on Black Americans

Black Americans are dying at a disproportionate rate from COVID-19. Tackling this disparity requires precise, data-driven solutions, but granular race, ethnicity, and demographic data on COVID are limited. In a Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) article, Surgo Ventures argues that rather than waiting for data collection and reporting systems to improve, we can act now by leveraging the COVID-19 Community Vulnerable Index (CCVI).

According to the CCVI, 60 percent of black Americans live in COVID-vulnerable communities while only 34 percent of white Americans do. Analyzing the CCVI through the lens of race allows for more targeted, effective interventions — from neighborhood-specific approaches in cities to prioritizing the deployment of testing, contact tracing, and supported isolation in vulnerable rural communities.