Washington (CNN)US Surgeon General Dr.

Jerome Adams on Friday laid

out how communities of color are disproportionately impacted by
the coronavirus pandemic, previewing how the Trump administration
plans to assist them specifically.

"The chronic burden of medical ills is likely to make people of color less
resilient to the ravages of Covid-19 and it is possibly, in fact, likely, that the
burden of social ills is also contributing," Adams said during a White House
press briefing.

Adams has previously described how his own health issues represent a
"legacy of growing up poor and black in America." During Friday's briefing, he
pulled out his inhaler, which he said he's carried around for 40 years, "out of
fear of having a fatal asthma attack."

It's long been known that black Americans and Hispanic Americans are more
likely to suffer from chronic health conditions that can detrimentally impact
how their bodies handle an additional illness. These minority
communities also have less access to health care.

And early data suggest that a racial disparity has been playing out in the
outcomes of coronavirus patients, with data from coronavirus deaths in
Louisiana, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey showing African Americans
make up a higher percentage of the victims.

Why black Americans are at higher risk for coronavirus

In Maryland, race also appears to be having an impact on the outcomes of

residents infected by the coronavirus.

Recently released data from the Maryland Department of Health show

that the rate of coronavirus infections and deaths is higher among African
Americans than whites or other groups, according to the Baltimore Sun.
And Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said on public
radio's "Kojo Nnamdi Show" Friday that the county in Maryland she
represents -- which is the most affluent, predominantly African American
county in the country -- has struggled with its health care system and
getting access to healthy foods.

"The coronavirus is indiscriminate. It does not know race. What it knows

instead is chronic medical conditions," Alsobrooks said, adding that those
conditions are more frequently seen "in poor people, black and brown
people who have generally had disproportionate shares of it because of
the health care systems in this country."

Describing how social outcomes can have an impact on health outcomes,

Adams also pointed out how people of color are more likely to live in
densely populated areas, are more likely to live in multi-generational
housing and are less likely to work in jobs that allow them to work
remotely.

"In summary, people of color experience ... likely exposure to Covid-19

and increased complications from it," Adams said. "But let me be crystal
clear: We do not think people of color are biologically or genetically
predisposed to get Covid-19. There is nothing inherently wrong with you."

Adams said the administration is "taking steps now" to reach and

strengthen communities of color.

"More details will be forthcoming, but we are actively working ... (on it
through) data collection, targeted outreach to communities of color and
increasing financial, employment, education, housing, social and health
supports so that everybody has an equal chance to be healthy," he said.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Seema Verma

announced on Tuesday that her agency will be using Medicare data to
analyze how race may play a factor into the health outcomes of
coronavirus patients.

"Going forward, we now have a code for coronavirus, so we can actually

stratify by demographic information. So we can look at race as a factor,"
Verma said.

But asked during Friday's briefing why a minority public health effort like
this didn't exist prior to the coronavirus pandemic, given that the
disparities have existed for such a long time, President Donald Trump
pivoted to what he's done for the economic outcomes of minority
communities.

"One of the things I'm most proud of is what I've been able to do for the
African American community. The lowest job numbers in the history of
our country," Trump said, adding that they've also had "better health care
than they've ever had before."

Adams on Friday also underscored how important it is for these

communities to follow the administration's social distancing guidelines
and to refrain from drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse.

"We need you to do this, if not for yourself, then for your abuela. Do it for
your granddaddy. Do it for your big mama. Do it for your pop pop," Adams
said.

Asked later if that language was offensive, Adams said: "We need
targeted outreach to the African American community and I use the
language that is used in my family. I have a Puerto Rican brother-in-law. I
call my granddaddy, 'granddaddy'. I have relatives who call their
grandparents 'big mama'. So, that was not meant to be offensive."

Adams also said that it was "absolutely" important for all Americans to
refrain from substance abuse.

Washington (CNN)US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams on Friday laid

out how communities of color are disproportionately impacted by
the coronavirus pandemic, previewing how the Trump administration
plans to assist them specifically.

"The chronic burden of medical ills is likely to make people of color less
resilient to the ravages of Covid-19 and it is possibly, in fact, likely, that the
burden of social ills is also contributing," Adams said during a White House
press briefing.

Adams has previously described how his own health issues represent a
"legacy of growing up poor and black in America." During Friday's briefing, he
pulled out his inhaler, which he said he's carried around for 40 years, "out of
fear of having a fatal asthma attack."

It's long been known that black Americans and Hispanic Americans are more
likely to suffer from chronic health conditions that can detrimentally impact
how their bodies handle an additional illness. These minority
communities also have less access to health care.
And early data suggest that a racial disparity has been playing out in the
outcomes of coronavirus patients, with data from coronavirus deaths in
Louisiana, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey showing African Americans
make up a higher percentage of the victims.

Why black Americans are at higher risk for coronavirus

In Maryland, race also appears to be having an impact on the outcomes of

residents infected by the coronavirus.

Recently released data from the Maryland Department of Health show

that the rate of coronavirus infections and deaths is higher among African
Americans than whites or other groups, according to the Baltimore Sun.

And Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said on public

radio's "Kojo Nnamdi Show" Friday that the county in Maryland she
represents -- which is the most affluent, predominantly African American
county in the country -- has struggled with its health care system and
getting access to healthy foods.

"The coronavirus is indiscriminate. It does not know race. What it knows

instead is chronic medical conditions," Alsobrooks said, adding that those
conditions are more frequently seen "in poor people, black and brown
people who have generally had disproportionate shares of it because of
the health care systems in this country."

Describing how social outcomes can have an impact on health outcomes,

Adams also pointed out how people of color are more likely to live in
densely populated areas, are more likely to live in multi-generational
housing and are less likely to work in jobs that allow them to work
remotely.
"In summary, people of color experience ... likely exposure to Covid-19
and increased complications from it," Adams said. "But let me be crystal
clear: We do not think people of color are biologically or genetically
predisposed to get Covid-19. There is nothing inherently wrong with you."

Adams said the administration is "taking steps now" to reach and

strengthen communities of color.

"More details will be forthcoming, but we are actively working ... (on it
through) data collection, targeted outreach to communities of color and
increasing financial, employment, education, housing, social and health
supports so that everybody has an equal chance to be healthy," he said.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Seema Verma

announced on Tuesday that her agency will be using Medicare data to
analyze how race may play a factor into the health outcomes of
coronavirus patients.

"Going forward, we now have a code for coronavirus, so we can actually

stratify by demographic information. So we can look at race as a factor,"
Verma said.

But asked during Friday's briefing why a minority public health effort like
this didn't exist prior to the coronavirus pandemic, given that the
disparities have existed for such a long time, President Donald Trump
pivoted to what he's done for the economic outcomes of minority
communities.

"One of the things I'm most proud of is what I've been able to do for the
African American community. The lowest job numbers in the history of
our country," Trump said, adding that they've also had "better health care
than they've ever had before."

Adams on Friday also underscored how important it is for these

communities to follow the administration's social distancing guidelines
and to refrain from drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse.

"We need you to do this, if not for yourself, then for your abuela. Do it for
your granddaddy. Do it for your big mama. Do it for your pop pop," Adams
said.

Asked later if that language was offensive, Adams said: "We need
targeted outreach to the African American community and I use the
language that is used in my family. I have a Puerto Rican brother-in-law. I
call my granddaddy, 'granddaddy'. I have relatives who call their
grandparents 'big mama'. So, that was not meant to be offensive."

Adams also said that it was "absolutely" important for all Americans to
refrain from substance abuse.