WeChat ban blocked + California’s Asian COVID-19 deaths undercounted: Your AAPI newsletter
Kathy Ko Chin, president of the Oakland-based Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, said Asian Americans tend to be overrepresented in essential worker occupations, noting that a large proportion of the state’s nurses are Filipino. In addition, she said, government officials have not done enough to translate COVID-19 educational materials into the many languages spoken by California’s Asian Americans. The Trump administration’s rhetoric on immigration during the past four years, she added, has had a “chilling effect” that has kept many foreign-born Asian Americans from visiting a doctor.
Read MoreCalifornia’s deadliest spring in 20 years suggests COVID undercount
Kathy Ko Chin, president of the Oakland-based Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, said Asian Americans also tend to be overrepresented in essential worker occupations, noting that a large proportion of the state’s nurses are Filipino. In addition, she said, government officials have not done enough to translate COVID educational materials into the many languages spoken by California’s Asian Americans. The Trump administration’s rhetoric on immigration during the past four years, she added, has had a “chilling effect” that has kept many foreign-born Asian Americans from visiting a doctor.
Read MoreHirono Introduces Coronavirus Language Access Act
Hirono, Casey, Harris, Colleagues Introduce Coronavirus Language Access Act
Press Release from Sen. Mazie Hirono
Read MoreU.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Coverage for Uninsured Americans Medicaid Coverage for COVID-19-Related Treatment
U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris Announces Legislation to Support Bias and Anti-Racism Training in COVID-19 Response
Harris, Adams Announce Legislation to Support Bias and Anti-Racism Training in COVID-19 Response
HHS rule targets more than transgender protections
By Dan Diamond and Adam Cancryn | It guts provisions to ensure patients’ language access, such as requiring health organizations to post certain messages in multiple languages. Advocates like the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum warned that one-third of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have limited English proficiency.
Read MoreTrump finalizes rollback of LGBTQ patient protections
By Dan Diamond | The Trump administration on Friday formally rolled back an Obama-era policy that protected LGBTQ patients from discrimination and required robust language translation services, unnerving health experts who worry vulnerable populations will face further risks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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