In this country we’re dealing with over 27 million COVID cases & over 463K deaths from this pandemic in the past year. We must make sure that government strategies addressing the COVID pandemic include targeted assistance for our LGBTQ communities to ensure that LGBTQ Americans are not overlooked in the rollout of further COVID relief efforts. A new report from the Center for American Progress highlights the significant challenges & inequities that LGBTQ Americans face when trying to access adequate health care & health insurance & the stigma & discrimination they experience in their physical care & mental health. Caroline Medina, a policy analyst for the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress stated, “The public health & economic crises created by the COVID-19 pandemic are compounding existing disparities experienced by LGBTQ people, particularly among LGBTQ people who are Black & Latino, women & low-income. An equity-centered, comprehensive strategy to address the destructive effects of the pandemic on our public health & health care infrastructure will require ensuring that the needs of LGBTQ communities are integrated throughout the response of all levels of government.” LGBTQ people are at greater risk of suffering severe illness from COVID-19 due to experiencing at higher rates than heterosexual & cisgender people chronic health conditions that compromise their immune systems. Even with vaccines rolling out across the country the short & long-term health implications of the pandemic are far from behind us. The Biden administration as well as state & local governments have a responsibility to create targeted policies for populations most in need including LGBTQ people their families & their communities.
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