The COVID-19 epidemic is very serious, especially to the black community. However, you may hear a bunch of your own black folks talk ignorant about conspiracies, homemade remedies and a whole bunch of nonsense – that is one of the major risks that will get a lot of black folks killed due to COVID-19. We need to be smart and we need to go to emergency preparedness and survival mode. 

The African-American community is exposed to major COVID-19 risk due to our clustering and social interactions. If we look at our business models, social models, organization models, urban economic models – we resemble every major area around the world getting ravaged by COVID-19 from Tokyo to Milan to Tehran to Seoul and our risk is just as greater due to several factors. 

Here are the major risks to the Black community we need to be mindful of

Fake News Proliferation. We got a lot of black people that get their information from ignorant places like comment sections and bulletin boards instead of getting advice from official government and health organizations. A lot of black people are posting information about ginger powder and making up things just to get likes and attention and the black community be reading and believing the fake news. 

Religious and Aspiration Attitudes. We got a lot of African-Americans who will engaged in denials and deflection turning to their made-up beliefs about God and Jesus Christ. They will say they will not let the Coronavirus stop them from enjoying life and Jesus will protect them. These the type of Christian clowns when things get bad, they don’t put in the work to make it better – they start praying and stuff. 

Social Business Models. We operate in collective sharing models. We take public transportation, we congregate at the fast-food joint, we go to same barber/hair salon, hang out at the club and bar, go to the same gym to workout, go to shows and events and these are our business models that drive economics in the black community. And in all of these crowds, it’s a fool there knowing they sick but showing up sniffing and coughing all hard. 

Weed Smoking. I don’t know who told someone in the black community smoking weed is cool, ain’t a damn thing cool about putting smoke in your lungs. Your lungs were meant for oxygen, not smoke and carcinogens. Now with COVID-19 having a massive devastating effect attacking people lungs, you weed smokers in the black community think you going to have a fighting chance or experience the worst possible way to die fighting for every painful breath until the end? 

Existing Underlying Health Conditions. One of the things observed by Chinese scientists is the leading underlying factor of COVID-19 death is high blood pressure. And you know high blood pressure is prevalent among the black community due to poor diet and exercises and stress. I’m going to speak on this a little – one of the problems in the African-American community is we love some “thick people” like these black dudes walking around over 200lbs and somewhat heavyset – black women be loving these unhealthy semi-heavy dudes that rarely make it to 45 years old, let’s be honest. And we brothas love these thick black sistas with a thick-booty and big legs and she always eating processed pork like someone told her it was healthy – a little secret, she dead before 60 in the black community as well. 

Poor Access to Health Centers. Remember back in grammar school when black kids bullied the smart black kids? Well, we have no smart black adults to help the black community as a result. Today, we rely on other groups to be our doctors who don’t share our concerns about health issues largely impacting black folks. In addition, we cannot afford to pay our medical bills and get top medical treatment and get minimum treatment which with a virus like COVID-19, things will go south real fast. Black folks die from the flu with complications such as pneumonia on the regular so you know COVID-19 is not going to play games with us. 

Super Spreaders Actors. Black community has a lot of gig economy workers who are basically contract hourly workers that cannot quit their job or take time off due to sickness. So they just going to take over-the-counter cold medicine to suppress the cough or sneezing to work and infecting everything that comes into contact with them at the warehouse job or rideshare or grocery delivery. No need to discuss stuff like strippers and homeless because we know black folks, especially black church people deal with these types of people and become a contagion as a result. 

Prison and Incarceration. We already observing the treatment of prison systems like Parchman Farms in Mississippi and the lack of concern for the incarcerated. It can be prison employees or some super spreader arrested that can bring COVID-19 to the prison population. With no cure or known treatment path for COVID-19, both black men and black women in these prison populations can be devastated and most of them will not survive due to the prison environment. 

So as you see, the risk of major devastation to the black community is real with many vectors to bring COVID-19 into our community and keep it in our community. This is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when COVID-19 hit the black community and we believe it already has. The goal now is the black community has to go into emergency reaction and focus now in survival mode. 

Here is exactly what we need to start doing to survive. 

Start Prepping. Stock up on smart things like cold medication and cleaning supplies. Do not buy expensive and worthless wipes but buy household cleaners and use cloths that you can truly wipe areas down in your home. But most important, buy canned food, bottle water filters and stuff you can store so you can avoid having to run out the house and interact with people. 

Stop Hanging Out. No more mega-churches, the clubs or comedy show or concerts. No more going to places with more than six people. If you can avoid your job where most people are contractors and you know their health insurance sucks, work from home if you can. Avoid going into gas stations and paying your bills waiting in line. Go to the grocery store when they are not busy and not standing in line. Change your lifestyle right now to stay away from people who you don’t need to be around. Some of you cute but insecure sistas act like you cannot be alone and have to be around a man or girlfriends all the damn time – better change your habits up. 

Start Boosting Your Immune System. There are two major problems in the black community we do that mess our bodies up, regardless of age. We eat bad food that inflame our internal organs like processed foods, red meat and shellfish – leave the shrimps alone, ain’t good for black folks. The second thing is we do not allow our bodies to hydrate and sweat properly – that’s how you fight a virus. You need to drink water and engage in activity that allow your body to sweat out and get your body in shape. You need to avoid nonsense like Dr. Sebi or some black radio commercial herb propaganda and focus on real dietician guidelines on eating natural foods that boost your immune system and take supplements that actually works, not claims. 

Stay Clean. This is not just about washing your hands. Stop dealing with dirty people around you with nasty habits. Clean your bathroom and kitchen. Stop shaking hands or even standing around someone, say hi and bye really quick. I used to like this one sista really hard who had a nice body and smile but I noticed she handled her food all nasty and reckless and had to stop liking that chick real quick. You better have the same mentality to keep you and your surroundings and your associates clean. 

Look, we have a follow up article because the black community going to have more than a health problem, black folks about to have an economic problem as well. Some of yall going to lose your jobs and your small businesses and some of yall acting like you were on some better-than stuff. Ain’t no way the stock market going to fall like it did and supply chain disrupted like it did and you black folks still thinking you going to keep your jobs. Better save your damn coins. 

Also, it’s a lot of new opportunities for virtual spaces, health support and information services to support urban communities with COVID-19 and black folks can take advantage of these opportunities. Not scams but real opportunities and we will cover these as well. But overall, the black community cannot rely on collectivism for growth as we see how fast Chinese collective economic models been wiped out by the coronavirus. The black community need to focus on a diversity of economic models that support both collective and private ventures so we don’t end up devastated by a virus. 

Make no mistake – a lot of us going to die or be seriously impacted by COVID-19 super spreading and vicious respiratory attack vectors due to our ignorant belief system and unhealthy lifestyle in the black community, that’s a 100% guarantee. Do not treat this situation as a joke and focus on your own life and your family well-being and get into survival mode right now. Because there are no billion-dollar COVID-19 rescue packages earmarked for the black community, you got to fend for yourself.