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There were more than 4,000 coronavirus-related fatalities in New Jersey as of Friday evening, 22 percent of which were African Americans, NJ Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said. Gov. Phil Murphy previously noted that's more than 50 percent higher than the overall representation in the population.
"Your zip code sometimes matters more than your genetic code," Persichilli said Saturday.
Just over 50 percent of the state's COVID-19 fatalities were white non-hispanic, and more than 40 percent of cases are associated with longterm care facilities, officials said.
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Persichilli noted many social determinants of health place an additional layer of health concern on the state's communities of color.
Earlier this week, Persichilli -- along with NJ's First Lady Tammy Murphy, Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, NJ Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson, Sen. Ronald Rice and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumpter -- met with officials from the New Jersey Medical Association.
The association is the state's chapter of the National Medical Association, the largest and oldest national organization representing African-American physicians and their patients in the U.S. Persichilli said
The chapter's president and a number of physicians explained that one of the greatest challenges was relying on tele-health in New Jersey's urban environments, according to Persichilli.
The physicians called for more testing in local clinics and a greater focus on FQHCs. They also stressed the importance of social distancing, which has proven difficult in America's African-American communities.
Persichilli said state officials will continue to work with Senator Rice and the NJ Medical Association to reduce coronavirus' "disproportionate impact" on communities of color.
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