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In New Orleans, African American communities were not only hit hard by Katrina's floods, but also by violent policing during the catastrophe and a disaster "recovery" effort that was fundamentally Anti-Black (closing of publich housing and the privatization of schools and health care). Recovery efforts were not organized along ideals of racial justice that would have addressed gaps in educational and health care resources. Instead, they were imagined along neoliberal principles that systematically excluded the city's Black population. I am interested in looking into how the Anti-Blackness of Katrina "recovery" set the stage for the virulent way COVID 19 is affecting New Orleans' African American communities.

In the US Virgin Islands, Hurricanes Maria and Irma decimated what were already decrepit public school and public health systems. Public schools and hospitals had not been property repaired and remained under-supported as of early March 2020. In places like the Island of St. Croix, residents reported the hospital having only one physicial on staff, and indicated fear of misdiagnosis and prolonged waiting times kept them from seeking health care there. The clientelle of the public health system is predominantly Afro and Hispanic Caribbean. Meanwhile, US "mainlanders" (who are predominantly white) are reported to seek their healthcare off island, something only those with ample financial resources can do. Infection rates and fatality rates for the USVI seem rather low from official reports, but it is important to find out if this is because testing itself is not readily avialable in the territory.

Media coverage from hard-hit cities suggests there is a disproportionate number of arrests and citations related to enforcement of social distancing among racial minorities.

Also, police response seems to have followed very different patterns in the case of "re-open" protests and anti-police brutality protests.

Emergency response is mentioned in the short and long term, in terms of placing infrastructure to direct and prevent diease. The authors stressed that dealing with epidemics as they happen is important to prevent further spread of diease. While long term repsonses in the past -clinics and medications- were placed, emergency response- going there and fixing the problem was stressed.

This article has be referenced/discussed through those looking at gender in the role of humaity by groups who are human rights activists, those who treat people in third world areas. As well as an international outreach website that supports treatment of those who have been abused.

Emergency response is addressed in the article through actions taken by health organizations in threat of an epidemic, national boards use emergency response as a way of protecting  their country  from disease, even though this is most effective through research and prevention. The idea of emergency response is global health security- in keeping the US healthy from epidemics in the past; we were not prepared for AIDS or swine flu.