New tool aims to ensure equity in COVID-19 planning, response and recovery

A coalition of the largest metropolitan health departments in the U.S. has released a tool designed to provide health departments with resources to ensure that health equity is considered in COVID-19 planning.

The Equity Lens Tool was created by Human Impact Partners and commissioned by the Big Cities Health Coalition.

“The Equity Lens Tool can be used by anyone working in a health department’s COVID-19 planning, response, and recovery contexts— particularly those leading or coordinating—who aims to ensure equity in a proposed decision,” according to a release from Human Impact Partners. “It will not be a panacea to solve the persistent inequities in our society, yet it does provide one approach to share decision-making power and directly improve people’s lives.”