Photo Stories: • Covid-19 - Seattle's C-ID: ICHS-Pacific-Islander-testing-73120-1941

Rattana Chaokhote, Clinical Services supervisor at ICHS dons a mask that reads, {quote}This is not a health insurance plan,{quote} at a COVID-19 drive thru and walk-in testing site held for people in the Pacific Islander community in collaboration with International Community Health Services at Federal Way High School Federal Way, Washington on July 31, 2020. A recent report by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) analyzing COVID-19 data highlight the pandemicís disproportionate and increasing impact on communities of color. Case rates over the pandemic for Hispanic people and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people are nine times higher than those of White people. Hospitalization rates are seven times higher for Hispanics and ten times higher for Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders than those of White people. ìWe know the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the health inequities historically marginalized and oppressed communities already experience,î said Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer at DOH. ìThese data are deeply concerning and underline the critical need to address the COVID-19 impacts weíre currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible.

Rattana Chaokhote, Clinical Services supervisor at ICHS dons a mask that reads, "This is not a health insurance plan," at a COVID-19 drive thru and walk-in testing site held for people in the Pacific Islander community in collaboration with International Community Health Services at Federal Way High School Federal Way, Washington on July 31, 2020. A recent report by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) analyzing COVID-19 data highlight the pandemicís disproportionate and increasing impact on communities of color. Case rates over the pandemic for Hispanic people and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people are nine times higher than those of White people. Hospitalization rates are seven times higher for Hispanics and ten times higher for Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders than those of White people. ìWe know the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the health inequities historically marginalized and oppressed communities already experience,î said Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer at DOH. ìThese data are deeply concerning and underline the critical need to address the COVID-19 impacts weíre currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible.