New York state’s Department of Health (DOH) announced recently that non-white people should be prioritized over white people for anti-viral pills in short supply.
The DOH announcement, dated December 27, said limited supply of oral antivirals will “require providers to prioritize treatment for patients at highest risk for severe COVID-19 until more product becomes available.”
Under a list of eligibility requirements for oral antiviral treatment, it said one requirement should be “have a medical condition or other factors that increase their risk for severe illness” and that one risk factor is being a “non-white race or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity should be considered a risk factor, as longstanding systemic health and social inequities have contributed to an increased risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.”
The announcement also linked to a separate undated DOH document on prioritization that contained the same guidance.
Columnist Karol Markowicz drew attention to the guidelines in a tweet, where she said, “NY State Department of Health warns they don’t have enough Paxlovid or Monoclonal Antibody Treatment and white people need not apply.”
Political commentator Dave Rubin tweeted: “Systemic racism, brought to you by progressive Democrats…”
