Search

The pandemic of respiratory disease spreading from person-to-person, named "coronavirus disease 2019" (abbreviated "COVID-19"), presents a public health emergency of international concern. This pandemic is occurring during renewed attention to the persistent issue of police brutality against Blacks in the United States. Protests have ensued to highlight perceived and observed injustice against minorities, particularly Black people. Concerns arise that these protests may complicate efforts to adhere to social distancing and increase risks of COVID-19 exposure among Black persons, who are already disproportionality affected by COVID-19 outcomes due to systemic barriers within the healthcare system and society. This article discusses police brutality against Blacks in the United States and subsequent protests, considerations for social distancing and racial disparities in health during COVID-19, and the need for policies to ensure fair and equitable enforcement of social distancing mandates. We also discuss the need for policies to improve access to COVID-19 testing, diagnosis, and management among underserved and minority communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commentary elucidates the importance of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) as a theoretical framework to encourage the practice of social distancing in rural areas as the world grappled with the pandemic of COVID-19 outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]