From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 8, 2020
If you’ve wondered why many more Black and Brown people get COVID-19 and die of it than other people in the United States, Leandris Liburd might tell you a story about someone you already know. Leandris might call her “Marjorie.”
Marjorie could be that cashier you chat with or your grandfather’s favorite nursing aide in a long-term care center. Marjorie is Black, about 47, and despite following public health guidance as best she can, she will test positive for COVID-19.
Marjorie is not an actual person, but she symbolizes people Leandris advocates for as chief health equity officer in CDC’s COVID-19 response – groups of people at increased risk for the disease. They include Hispanic, Native American, Alaskan Native, and Black people, and although each community is unique, many people in these groups have suffered much more in the pandemic.
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