The CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says the department needs to do a better job reaching out to communities of color during the pandemic.
At Friday’s gubernatorial COVID-19 press briefing, Department CEO Danette Smith said the conclusion was brought about by data showing, of the positive cases recorded in the state where race was recorded, communities of color have been disproportionately impacted.
“We have a lot of work to do with our communities of color to ensure we understand their culture and linguistic needs so that we can better communicate and promote healthy living and ensure access to healthcare that will focus on prevention vs. treatment,” said Smith
Smith said data shows 20% of total infections occurring among Hispanics, despite being 11% of the state’s population.
Additionally, Asians were shown to represent 6% of total infections, despite making up 2% of the state’s population.
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As the pandemic continues and more people begin to wear masks, the state’s deaf and hard of hearing communities are being placed at an even greater disadvantage according to the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Executive Director for the Commission John Wyvill said that masks remove many facial cues the deaf and hard of hearing rely on to understand others.
“Why this matter in Nebraska is that 20% of our population has some form of hearing loss, diagnosed or not,” said Wyvill. “That translates to 1 out of 5 Nebraskans.”
He recommends having a plan in place for communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing.
Suggested solutions included wearing a transparent mask or having your phone or tablet ready to type a message out.
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Governor Pete Ricketts weighs in on the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in Minneapolis shortly after local law enforcement was seen kneeling on him while taking him into custody.
“From the news reports, this is an egregious violation of Mr. Floyd’s rights,” said Ricketts. “The officer needs to be charged and this needs to go to court and be adjudicated through our system of justice.”
Ricketts noted that, based on statements from Nebraska law enforcement officials, he recognizes that what happened in Minneapolis can create distrust within communities of color elsewhere.
When asked about his feelings toward announced protests over the weekend, the governor gave his blessing.
“I encourage then to exercise their first amendment rights in a peaceful way,” said Ricketts. “I certainly understand why a peaceful demonstration is called for.”