U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Friday singled out African Americans and Latino communities at the White House COVID-19 press briefing, telling them to refrain from “alcohol, tobacco and drugs” to protect their health during the pandemic.

Minutes later, after a challenge from a reporter, he said his comments were “not meant to be offensive” and that the advice was for all Americans.

Adams made the remarks while addressing the “alarming,” disproportionate death rate suffered by people of color in the U.S. from COVID-19, which he attributed to behavioral, medical and “social” issues. In Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Blacks are 25% of the population but almost 50% of the confirmed coronavirus cases and 75% of the deaths, he noted.

He told Black and Latino communities to “step it …continued .
[Source: Huffington Post]