Coronavirus

Black Health Experts Say Surgeon General's Comments Reflect Lack of Awareness of Black Community

“The Adams statement is, at best, irresponsible and, at worst, reflective of systemic structural racism.”

Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House, March 19, 2020, in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP

During a coronavirus task force briefing the Surgeon General Jerome Adams made remarks about "drugs, tobacco and alcohol" and "big momma" related to the black community and the coronavirus. In response to the much-publicized remarks black health professionals are calling his remarks irresponsible and lacking awareness, NBC News reported.

Adam's remarks come as health experts continue to highlight the disproportionate numbers of African Americans who are dying from the coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, there are more than 580,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States and more than 23,000 deaths associated with the disease, many of them African Americans. Read the full story at NBCNews.com.


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