**3. Implications**

In general, the provision of widespread testing and monitoring for COVID-19 in African American communities would facilitate early detection among the symptomatic and asymptomatic infected; self-isolation and quarantine of both the symptomatic and asymptomatic infected will reduce the spread of the virus. Hospitalizations and adverse treatment outcomes could possibly be reduced by earlier treatment of the flu- and pneumonia-like symptoms before illness progression to the need for extensive medical stays and subsequent use of ventilation for lungs.

However, due to social determinants of health that convolute the relationship between race and health, substantial funding is necessary to promote health equity in the African American community during the coronavirus pandemic. For instance, due to the level of poverty, lower socio-economic status, and uninsured among African Americans, COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, as well as medical

treatment for those suffering from coronavirus must be cost-free for these specific sub-groups of the African American community.

Further, not all adverse healthcare seeking behaviors can be address in the African American community as it relates to this current pandemic. But certainly, those healthcare seeking behaviors related to socio-economic factors, i.e., not being able to get off of work during traditional business hours, not having treatment facilities in proximity to poor, minority communities, and not having transportation to travel to these facilities, can be addressed. More COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites can be placed in African American communities and along or near major mass transportation routes. Hours of operation for testing and vaccination sites can be expanded to accommodate those African American workers with jobs that have less flexible schedules, i.e., customer service, technical, and support staff positions.

Finally, given the high level of mistrust of the medical system by African Americans, it is critical to build public health campaigns driven by leaders in the African American communities, and have oversight provided by community consortiums to ensure ethical, fair and safe practices in the administration of these tests and vaccines in order to enhance compliance that will facilitate the eradication of the coronavirus pandemic.
