Photo Stories: • Covid-19 - Seattle's C-ID: ICHS-Pacific-Islander-testing-73120-2476

ICHS nurse practitioner, Tess Sorbo (center), takes a swab sample from members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community at a COVID-19 drive thru and walk-in testing site held in collaboration with International Community Health Services at Federal Way High School in Federal Way, Washington on July 31, 2020. A recent report by the the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) analyzing COVID-19 data highlight the pandemic’s 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 weÌre currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible.

ICHS nurse practitioner, Tess Sorbo (center), takes a swab sample from members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community at a COVID-19 drive thru and walk-in testing site held in collaboration with International Community Health Services at Federal Way High School in Federal Way, Washington on July 31, 2020. A recent report by the the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) analyzing COVID-19 data highlight the pandemic’s 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 weÌre currently seeing by prioritizing outreach, testing, education and related materials for disproportionately impacted communities in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible.