USC report offers ‘sobering picture’ of social, economic disparities worsened by pandemic in L.A. County
One in three Los Angeles County residents worried about losing their home in 2020 — one of several findings in USC research released Wednesday that shows how the pandemic has worsened already concerning disparities in access to education, housing, food and health care.
As the most populated county in the U.S., L.A. has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, experiencing some of the worst rates of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths nationwide. It falls just behind New York City in U.S. metro areas that have seen the highest case rates and job losses, according to research used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Infection rates and the number of patients dying surged through the winter, peaking in January as health officials warned of hospitals potentially becoming overwhelmed. On Jan. 11, after infection and fatality rates reached their highest levels yet, County Health Director Barbara Ferrer called it “ the worst disaster our county has experienced for decades.”
The biggest impact, however, has been felt by lower income residents […]