ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay says he's pushing Gov. Mike Parson to devote coronavirus resources to North St. Louis residents.
"This pandemic has really laid bare the generational, historic disparities that make this virus even more deadly to African Americans than the general population," says the Democrat from Missouri's 1st Congressional District.
Clay cites last week's disclosure that all deaths from COVID-19 in St. Louis City were African-Americans. Nationwide he says reports reveal black people are suffering higher rates of infection.
The Congressman is requesting Gov. Parson set aside $15 million dollars for a North St. Louis Community Care Clinic, out of the $2.3 billion it's received in emergency federal funding. Clay says that would help get to the heart of some of the health care disparities that have made African Americans more vulnerable to coronavirus.
Clay says he has also spoken with Dr. Alex Garza, the head of the St. Louis area coronavirus task force, about stepping up testing of the most vulnerable populations.
Clay was a guest on KMOX's Charlie Brennan Show with Amy Marxkors, which you can hear in the audio at the top of this page.