The neighborhoods most affected by COVID-19 tend to be poorer. According to the New York City Comptroller’s Office, 75% of all frontline workers are people of color, who work in public transit; grocery, convenience and drug stores; trucking, warehouse and postal services; and healthcare, as well as childcare, homeless shelters and family services. Nearly 60% of these workers are also renters and, on average, spend 1.5 hours commuting on public transport to and from their jobs daily.
In my research at the intersection of urban planning and health equity, I explore how neighborhood environments and access to resources can affect health. The physical characteristics and quality of neighborhood services—schools, transportation, food, employment opportunities—can result in better economic outcomes and well-being. The fact that underlying conditions can increase the risk of death from COVID-19 is not simply attributable to individual behaviors, but represents a failure in our society to develop and implement policy interventions that address the social determinants of health and reduce inequities.