Racial Disparities in COVID‐19 Mortality Among Essential Workers in the United States

Racial disparities are apparent in the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in the United States, yet the factors contributing to racial inequities in COVID‐19 mortality remain controversial. To better understand these factors, we investigated racial disparities in COVID‐19 mortality among America's essential workers. Data from the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey was used to examine the correlation between the prevalence of COVID‐19 deaths and occupational differences across racial/ethnic groups and states. COVID‐19 mortality was higher among non‐Hispanic (NH) Blacks compared with NH Whites, due to more NH Blacks holding essential‐worker positions. Vulnerability to coronavirus exposure was increased among NH Blacks, who disproportionately occupied the top nine essential occupations. As COVID‐19 death rates continue to rise, existing structural inequalities continue to shape racial disparities in this pandemic. Policies mandating the disaggregation of state‐level data by race/ethnicity are vital to ensure equitable and evidence‐based response and recovery efforts.