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Today we highlight a story by the Wisconsin State Journal that examines the sweeping disparities in how COVID-19 affects Wisconsin’s Black and Latino residents.
Black Wisconsinites make up less than 7% of Wisconsin’s population but 18% of its COVID-19 cases and 24% of state deaths from the virus, David Wahlberg reports. Latinos also make up less than 7% of the population, and they account for 33% of Wisconsin’s COVID-19 cases and 11% of its deaths.
“Such disparities, which have long been found for other health conditions, have gained more attention in light of Black Lives Matter protests, Juneteenth events on Friday and a Republican state leader attributing high rates of COVID-19 among Latinos to immigrant ‘culture,'” Wahlberg reports.
Top Stories
Black, Latino COVID-19 disparities bring attention to broad health inequities — Wisconsin State Journal
After Echo Foods workers’ deaths, demonstrators demand more protections for workers — Journal Times
OSHA investigates COVID complaints at Amazon warehouses in Kenosha — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Here’s how Wisconsin’s coronavirus antibody study will work, and what we might learn from it — Appleton Post Crescent
Wisconsin growers prepare for strawberry season with changes due to coronavirus pandemic — Green Bay Press Gazette
Lobby halts Dodge County health ordinance: Board to await county association decision — Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
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Government updates
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
U.S. Centers and Disease Control and Prevention
Quotable
“The fact is that police budgets are excessive while other social sectors are underfunded. Just look at the expensive riot gear police have been wearing compared to what health care workers have had to work with during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
— Joey Grihalva, a Milwaukee Public Schools teacher and author, writing for Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Data to note
Federal data released this week shows that 36 Wisconsin nursing homes have reported a total of 124 COVID-19 deaths. The Wisconsin State Journal looks deeper into the new data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Wisconsin is currently investigating 74 nursing homes where there have been at least one confirmed COVID-19 case, according to the state Department of Health Services.
Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Shift to home office creates IT career opportunities —WTMJ-TV
BCycle booming amid pandemic — The Cap Times
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The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
