Communities of color in Chester County and across the United States are at higher risk of dying from the coronavirus. This is in part due to higher chronic health conditions and social vulnerability that includes living conditions and access to healthcare, write Aaron Williams and Adrian Blanco for The Washington Post.

To determine which communities could be more vulnerable to the deadly virus, The Washington Post used data provided by PolicyMap to analyze chronic health and social vulnerability estimates.

In Chester County, Coatesville, which has a minority population greater than 50 percent, is one of the highly vulnerable areas. The diabetes rates, blood pressure, and obesity rates are all above the national average, and the area is also home to a high percentage of the uninsured population.

Kennett Square also has a high percentage of the uninsured population, as well as high obesity rates. However, with most other chronic conditions at or below the national average, it is not considered a highly vulnerable area.

Meanwhile, majority-white Oxford is also considered highly vulnerable due to its high obesity rates, overcrowded households, and low percentage of insured population.

Read more about the report’s findings in The Washington Post here.

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