“It’s tragic, though not surprising, that African-Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, because of systemic inequities that have resulted in long-standing health disparities,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a George Washington University professor and a former Baltimore City health commissioner. “Based on modeling, the D.C. and Baltimore-areas could be the next epicenters of the outbreak, and we should all be concerned about the disproportionate impact on communities that are already the most vulnerable and already face the greatest burden of racial and socioeconomic disparities.”