COVID-19: A Mirror to Our Flaws

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated many painful truths in our state. This commentary addresses some of them, including racism, lack of universal health care access, and defunded public health infrastructure, from the perspective of a local county health department medical director. We have an opportunity to fundamentally improve North Carolinians’ collective health, but only if we are willing to reckon with past and current failings.