Journal of Political Sciences & Public Affairs
Open Access

Abstract

Allentown's COVID-19 Case Variation by Ward: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Neighborhood Caseloads.

Woods Christopher

COVID-19 has had a disparate impact on different racial and ethnic groups throughout the United States. No local racial or ethnic data exists for Allentown, Pennsylvania, the state’s third largest city. In the absence of this information, this study overlaps American Community Survey data with the only publicly released COVID-19 statistics from the Allentown Health Bureau. This study finds that only the proportion of the population identifying as Non-Hispanic Black or Latinx is significantly associated with an increase in COVID-19 cases within city wards. Economic indicators, the prevalence of health insurance, and the median age all prove insignificant. Maps are provided to show the strong overlap in cases with neighborhoods that are predominantly Black and Latinx.

Published Date: 2021-09-10;