Four Recommendations To Ensure Connecticut’s COVID-19 Response Does Not Leave Anyone Behind

A new policy brief from the Connecticut Health Foundation offers four recommendations for ensuring that the state’s COVID-19 response reaches those who are most at risk. “We have already seen this virus disproportionately affecting people of color, and it is critical that we ensure the response is designed in a way that does not increase the racial and ethnic health disparities that already exist in Connecticut,” said Patricia Baker, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. “By combining universal strategies with targeted outreach, leaders can ensure that our state has the strongest, most effective possible response to the pandemic.” The recommendations and specific steps are: make testing accessible to those who need it; take advantage of the skills of community health workers; provide supports for people who need to isolate; and provide clear communication and report more race and ethnicity data.