How Columbia, SC is Helping Its Most Vulnerable Residents | Mike Bloomberg

The reality is that the virus has allowed us to, helped us to illuminate some Achilles heels that we knew already existed in American society. Data shows that the coronavirus is especially affecting minority communities. In Columbia, South Carolina, Mayor Steve Benjamin has established a disparity task force to address the needs of his city's most vulnerable residents. A Midlands task force that addresses all aspects of the virus and the disease it causes and its effect on our community. So having testing available in close neighborhoods and access to quality health care. Just some of the data that we've been able to consume over the last decade, if you look at essential workers even, there's a disproportionate amount of African-American and Latino citizens who are required to be at work during these challenging times. I would encourage people to be focused on public health data, not on the politics. We've relied heavily obviously on our state epidemiologists, Dr. Linda Bell, and public health authorities. We relied heavily on on the folks at Harvard and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, at Johns Hopkins. Just really trying to continue understanding that we're focused on solving a global public health crisis. And if we can get our arms around the public health crisis, then indeed we'll solve the economic crisis. And I know that my corner of the world, if I'm providing that leadership and modeling it for my colleagues, and we can make it through this, but it's the type of challenge that you can only win if in fact you do it together.