Deaths among COVID Cases in the United States: Racial and Ethnic Disparities Persist

Using COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use Data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we estimate monthly age-adjusted case fatality rates (CFR) for four major groups: non-Hispanic (NH) whites, NH Blacks, NH Asians, and Hispanics. Available data show that CFRs across race/ethnic groups have become more equal over time. Nevertheless, racial and ethnic disparities persist. NH whites consistently experience lower CFRs; NH Blacks generally experience higher case fatality among younger patients; and NH Asians generally experience higher case fatality among older patients. Age-adjusted CFRs reveal dramatically different racial and ethnic disparities that are hidden by crude CFRs. Such adjustment is imperative for understanding COVID-19’s toll.