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BY FAIZA AMIN AND MEREDITH BOND

Racial inequities driven deeper by COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto data shows POSTED JUL 31, 2020 5:20 PM EDT

Newly released race-based data on how COVID-19 is a�ecting minorities in the City

of Toronto is shocking, but not surprising to the many Black health leaders who have

been calling for the collection of race-based data since the beginning of the deadly

pandemic.

As we learn that communities of colour make up 83 percent of the COVID-19 cases

in the city, the question becomes: Why? And what’s next?

Toronto Public Health says data collected from people infected with COVID-19 and

who voluntarily answered socio-demographic questions found 83 per cent identi�ed

with a racialized group. Seventy-one per cent of those who were hospitalized with

the virus identi�ed with a racialized group.

That’s compared with the 52 per cent of Toronto residents overall who identify as

such.

Twenty-one per cent of cases are in the Black community, despite the group only

making up nine percent of the city’s population. South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans

have 20 percent of cases with a population of 13 percent.

Latin Americans are three per cent of the population, but make up 10 per cent of

COVID-19 infections.

White people who make up nearly half of the population with 48 per cent only

account for 17 per cent of cases.

When broken down by gender, Black women made up 22 per cent of COVID-19

cases while making up only nine per cent of the Toronto population, the highest

discrepancy within racialized groups male or female.

Eighty-two percent of women and 81 per cent of men who tested positive for COVID-

19 and answered socio-demographic questions identi�ed with a racialized group.

“We see an over-representation of racialized women in healthcare, and front line

health workers and in nursing homes who are personal support workers,” said Dr.

Notisha Massaquoi, a health equity expert.

Other factors include whether you can a�ord to drive or have to rely on public

transportation.

The data also show 51 per cent of reported COVID-19 cases in Toronto were people

living in households considered to be low-income, compared with 30 per cent of the

population that meets the same de�nition.

More than a quarter – 27 per cent – of cases were in people living in households

with �ve or more people.

Social determinants driving divide in health inequity

Social determinants include employment, whether you can work from home or how

many jobs you may need, housing, socio-economic status, access to a vehicle, all of

these factors contribute to how exposed one may be to the virus.

These factors put certain communities at greater risk.

“We have to start looking at how are we going to start addressing the large social

determinants of health that are systemic,” Dr. Massaquoi said. “COVID is just an

example. Any pandemic will show you �ssures that exist in any society and the

pandemic just cracks them open further.”

“We can’t ignore it anymore,” she added.

Dr. Massaquoi did praise Toronto’s Medical O�cer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa and

Toronto Public Health for listening to advocates who wanted to see this data

collected and how quickly they were able to see results.

“It was interesting they were able to do it in a rapid manner and such a well-

developed manner, which also tells you the ability has always been there, it’s always

about political will,” she added. “I think it’s really important for us to understand that

the collection of this data should be seen as a benchmark moment and it should

provide us with a blueprint of the collection of race-based data in health care, well

beyond and above COVID.”

Social disparities already existed in health care long before COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to the spread of the virus, community health centres like TAIBU in Malvern and

the Black Creek Community Health Centre were established to help these inequities

in racializied communities.

Since COVID-19, TAIBU has launched a COVID-19 health line that provides access to

a number of resource for the Black and Caribbean communities including testing,

CERB bene�ts, employment support and other health services.

Data show

racialized, poor

Torontonians

disproportionately

a�ecte…

(https://toronto.citynews.c

socio-demographic-

covid-19-data/)

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Executive Director of the Black Creek Community Health Center, Cheryl Prescod said

they were not surprised by the data, but what they’ve been asking for plans and

strategies to combat the inequities, adding racism is not a new issue.

“Community Health Centres were developed to serve the most marginalized

communities. We know that we have to have a blend of clinical services and social

services to address the social determinants of health,” said Prescod.

She added it was good to hear Dr. de Villa and Mayor John Tory addressing these

social determinants. “We have to look at our communities to understand what the

programs and service needs are so let’s do it, let’s fund it properly and equitably”

said Prescod.

The province is now requiring all public health units to collect and report data on

race, income, household size and language for those with COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health said they are working to share �ndings of the data collection

after engaging with racialized communities, led by the Chief Medical O�cer of

Health.

“We are also engaging with people from racialized communities and other health

equity experts regarding the use of these data. We plan to share �ndings of this data

collection, informed by this engagement,” read a statement from the Ministry.

They have not provided a timeline of when this data may be available.

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