Actually, I read a great article by a researcher at MIT saying that he thought the problem for blacks was lack of Vitamin D, indicated by the fact that African descent people in Europe and America die from this virus at higher rates overall than people with fairer skins. Vitamin D is crucial in maintaining the immune system.
The researcher, who is Indian, said he was about a 3 on something called the Fitzpatrick Scale, used for grading skin colors. Most American black people are a 4 or a 5; Hispanics and European Americans start around a 2 or possibly 3 for the darkest and then go up to the Scandinavians, Irish, and certain other people (including Spanish Celts) with very white skin.
However, having very fair skin in a low-light Northern climate allows you to get as much sun exposure and Vit D production as possible, while having high melanin skin (adapted to seriously high-sunlight conditions) prohibits it.
He also thought that the conditions that afflict African Americans and African descent folks outside of Africa or the ME are possibly autoimmune diseases,,,that would be diabetes and asthma. Very interesting thoughts, and I hope they look into this more.
The researcher takes 5000 units of Vit D everyday, although I think you can safely take more, and he suggested that a study be done to enhance the Vit D intake of African descent people.
This was in the WSJ, so it wasn’t one of those weird “medical” things that pops up on your FB page...
You’d be surprised how many “older” people have Vitamin D Deficiency. I used to screen for it and find it regularly. I have it and take 1,000 Units or 2,000 Units a day and with that my annual levels are perfect. I do suspect the Indian Doctor was just bringing it up and there’s no real Molecular Mechanism behind it. Certainly not like the ACE2 thing.
Very interesting, I will have to up my intake of Vitamin D.
I have also heard, anecdotal to be sure, that the black community has a higher mistrust of the medical profession, and so, do not go to see a doctor until is is absolutely necessary.
If this is “cultural” behavior is true, it would explain, in part, the high rate of infection and death from the virus.