Title:
Variation in COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Deaths Across New York City Boroughs
Authors:
Rishi K. Wadhera, Priya Wadhera, Prakriti Gaba, Jose F. Figueroa, Karen E. Joynt Maddox, Robert W. Yeh & Changyu Shen
Published:
JAMA, published online 29 April 2020
Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/jama_wadhera_2020_ld_200038.pdf
Focus of research letter:
"In the US, New York City has emerged as the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.1 As of April 25, 2020, more than 150 000 cases had been reported, which is approximately 17% of total cases in the US.2,3 New York City is composed of 5 boroughs (the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island), each with unique demographic, socioeconomic, and community characteristics.
Prior analyses have shown health inequities across these boroughs, but whether similar patterns have also emerged amid the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown.4 Understanding the patterns could inform public health and policy strategies to mitigate the ongoing spread of COVID-19, and future approaches to address a possible resurgence of the disease. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine population characteristics and hospital bed capacities across the 5 boroughs and evaluate whether differences in the rates of COVID-19 testing, hospitalizations, and deaths have emerged in these communities."