The NYC Health Department released a new paper exploring the high rate of hospitalization of Black New Yorkers during the Omicron surge.

Researchers also analyzed the factors that caused the spike. According to the report, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities driven by anti-Black structural racism leading to high rates of hospitalization among Black New Yorkers.

According to the study, the COVID-19 hospitalization rate was more than two times greater among Black New Yorkers compared to white New Yorkers during the Omicron surge. COVID-19 hospitalizations were also disproportionately higher in neighborhoods with a high percentage of Black residents.

Black New Yorkers and residents also faced longer delays receiving a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection, according to data from between Oct. 1, 2020 to Oct. 31, 2021.

For one out of four Black New Yorkers and residents, researchers say it took five or more days to get diagnosed. In comparison, one out of four other New Yorkers took four or more days to get diagnosed.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black Americans are 22% less likely than white Americans to receive monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 nationally.