Washington state prioritizes minority patients for COVID treatments

According to Washington Department of Health documents entitled Interim-DOH Guidance on Prioritization for Use of AntiSARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies, quietly issued December 28, 2021, "Among unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals (i.e., those who have either not completed a primary series and/or not up to date with a booster) with COVID-19, consider prioritizing administration to patients at highest risk for progressing to severe disease."

Listed second after "Older age (e.g., > 65 years)" but before those with "Obesity, Pregnancy, Chronic kidney disease, Diabetes, Recently diagnosed hematologic malignancy, Chemotherapy, Solid organ transplant on immune suppression, Immunosuppression, Cardiovascular disease or hypertension, Chronic lung diseases, Sickle cell disease, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Complex genetic or metabolic syndromes, Severe congenital anomalies, Medical-related technological dependence," are people who have "Limited access to care or members of communities disproportionately impacted by COVID19."

The designation links to a CDC document entitled Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups.

According to the site, the term "racial and ethnic minority groups" refers to "…people of color with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences."

The document then goes on to say that "Racism, either structural or interpersonal, negatively affects the mental and physical health of millions of people, preventing them from attaining their highest level of health, and consequently, affecting the health of our nation."

The document then accuses accuses America of "…centuries of racism" which have had "…a profound and negative impact on communities of color."

In April, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky declared racism a serious public health threat, calling it an "epidemic."

Ironically, the Washington DOH previously said elsewhere on their website that "The risk of COVID-19 is not connected to race, ethnicity or nationality." The site also said, "Stigma will not help fight the illness."

The New York State Department of Health also issued new guidelines for health professionals to figure out how to ration the medication in order to give the opportunity for treatment to those most at risk, and those who are of a "Non-White race or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity," the Dept. of Health writes, should have that identity "be considered a risk factor," because of systemic racism.

In March, doctors in Boston called for medical resources to be allocated with race playing a major factor in considering how to dole out care. They suggested implementing standards that would show racial preference to patients.

The Associated Press reported in June that "Black people account for 15% of all COVID-19 deaths where race is known, while Hispanics represent 19%, whites 61% and Asian Americans 4%." However, those among minority racial and ethnic groups who died under this assessment skewed younger, while those white Americans who died were primarily among the elderly.

Minnesota has similar eligibility requirements, saying that "Clinicians and health systems should consider heightened risk of progression to severe COVID-19 associated with race and ethnicity when determining eligibility for mAbs."