A new poll from ABC News/Ipsos continues to shine an important light on the disproportionate impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on Black and Latino communities. “Thirty percent of black adults and 26% of Latino adults in the country said they know a victim of the coronavirus, who died either from the disease or from complications related to the virus,” ABC News reports. “For white adults, the corresponding figure is 10%.”
It’s the second poll to be released this week showing that a significant number of Latinos in particular know someone who has gotten sick with COVID-19. “More disconcerting is the fact that a startling high percentage of Latinos—27%—report that they know someone who wants a test, but has been unable to get tested,” pollsters Latino Decisions said regarding its survey results.
ABC News reports that while “majorities across racial groups are confident they would know where to go for testing and think they could successfully get tested,” the polling found “racial disparities are more apparent when looking at those who express a high level of confidence.”
“Whites are more likely to say they are very confident they would know where to go for testing (46%) than are blacks (29%) and Hispanics (35%),” the report said. “Similarly, whites are more likely to say they are very confident they would be able to get tested (38%) compared to blacks (25%) and Hispanics (25%).” The polling itself said: “Confidence about where to go is highest among white Americans (80%),” while “a similar pattern emerges among perceived ability to get tested, with 75% white Americans feeling confident.”
Polling from Latino Decisions found Latino respondents were extremely critical of the impeached president’s pandemic response—or lack thereof. “Moreover, 67% of Latinos say Trump ignored early warnings and his delays are the reason so many Americans died,” Latino Decisions said.
The firm also found that even though they continue to face economic devastation due to lost work, the vast majority of Latinos supported continued shelter-in-place policies. “When asked about continued quarantine versus re-opening states, more than three quarters (76%) of Latinos continue to support stay-at-home orders, despite the pervasive health and economic woes,” the firm said. “Fully 81% say governors should re-open their states slowly, based on the advice of health experts, rather than rush to reopen.”
“This poll confirms what we know in Nevada,” U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said in a release. “Our Latino communities are getting hit hard by the twin public health and economic crises of coronavirus.”
