Q&A: COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Co-Chair Talks Racial Disparities In Louisiana

African Americans in Lousiana make up more than half of the deaths so far from COVID-19, but account for only one-third of the population.

It’s a dramatic disparity that is of particular concern for Thomas LaVeist, the dean of Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. LaVeist is also the co-chair of the governor’s COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, and he leads a multimedia project to dispel myths around racial disparities in health, called The Skin You’re In.

He spoke with reporter Rosemary Westwood about racial disparities and the task force’s work.

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