KMBC 9 News Investigative Reporter
Chronicle: A Systemic Pandemic
COVID-19 has exposed cracks in the system
KMBC 9 News Investigative Reporter
Since the pandemic began, we've all heard the phrase "we're all in this together" time and time again.
But, the evidence shows that's not true.
COVID-19 has magnified the cracks in systems of health care, education, housing, and poverty, and, at the same time, shows how those cracks disproportionately affect people of color.
KMBC Chronicle wants to show you the "how" by magnifying the stories of people often overlooked, and the people working to help them through arguably the toughest time of their lives.
Watch the full special, "Chronicle: A Systemic Pandemic" above (note, commercial breaks will dip to black for several seconds before video resumes). Then, join us this week on KMBC.com as we dive in deeper to each area to tell the stories both working on, and stuck behind the front line of this pandemic.
Systemic Pandemic Part One: Exposing the cracks
"COVID didn't break our systems. COVID exposed our broken systems." -- Frank Thompson with the Kansas City, Missouri Health Department.
What does equity mean to you? KMBC 9 Chronicle spent the last six months interviewing people affected by COVID-19, all in different ways. We asked each one of them, what does equity mean to you?
Click here to read more.
Systemic Pandemic Part Two: A disproportionate number
"You put people in certain areas, and they're the places where they can live, and they can't live any place else because you won't finance them and you own the banks and the mortgage companies, then you set up the system that allows COVID to grow in those areas." -- Dr. Carmaletta Williams with the Black Archives of Mid-America Kansas City.
Hear from three people, each part of groups disproportionally affected by COVID-19. Whether it's through housing, healthcare, or education, it's important to show how COVID-19 has not affected everybody the same way.
Systemic Pandemic Part Three: Stretching the string until it breaks
"Obviously they need help. We're in a world where we live to the edge of our string, and when that string breaks, we need help." -- Betty Bolles with Community Services League.
There have been more than 55,000 cases of COVID-19 in the Kansas City area. This virus has proven its ability to expose people on the margins -- those once living paycheck to paycheck.
As area charitable organizations have seen, it's much harder for them to recover without help.
Click here to read more.
Systemic Pandemic Part Four: A magnifying glass on gaps in education
"Equity is about making sure that everyone has shoes." -- Dr. Dennis Carpenter, former Lee's Summit, Missouri R-7 School District Superintendent.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a magnifying glass on services offered to students in school, and when can happen when those services are no longer available.
Students who lack internet, a stable home, or the the ability to get a healthy meal have struggled more than others as schools shut down to stem the spread of the virus.
Click here to read more.
Systemic Pandemic Part Five: Healthcare benefits suffer during pandemic
"COVID has added to inequities that already existed. When you have systematic injustices that have left people in food deserts, and have left people where opportunities for education and opportunities for a livable wage are at a significant gap, there's more work to be done." -- Patrick Sallee, Vibrant Health CEO.
County-by-county, city-by-city, and even neighborhood-by-neighborhood across the metro, area health systems and healthcare providers are seeing differences when it comes to the ability to access care.
Systemic Pandemic Part Six: The disparities are not going away
"It has to move from, 'Let's talk about this,' and 'Isn't that bad,' to, 'Okay, what are we gonna do about it?'" -- Patrick Sallee, Vibrant Health CEO.
