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Who's Hit Hardest By COVID-19? Why Obesity, Stress And Race All Matter

Data shows people with certain chronic conditions are more likely to get severe COVID-19 symptoms. Why are they hit harder and what explains the disease's disproportionate affect on African Americans?

Copyright 2020 NPR

Corrected: April 17, 2020 at 10:00 PM MDT
A previous version of this story incorrectly said 43% of black respondents in a Pew Center poll are "very concerned" that they will get COVID-19 and require hospitalization. It was 43% of Hispanic respondents who said that.
Allison Aubrey is a correspondent for NPR News, where her stories can be heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She's also a contributor to the PBS NewsHour and is one of the hosts of NPR's Life Kit.