As cases of the omicron Covid variant steamroll through New York, the state government has turned saving lives into a matter of race, prioritizing non-white people to receive treatments. New York claims it is some sort of retribution for “longstanding systemic health and social inequities.”

Last week, New York’s Department of Health released a document to providers titled “Prioritization of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies and Oral Antivirals for the Treatment of COVID-19 During Ties of Resource Limitations Introduction.”

The document lays out a hierarchy of sorts for who gets to receive the limited supplies of monoclonal antibody treatments and oral antiviral pills recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under Emergency Use Authorization.

In addition to individuals considered high-risk such as those who are immunocompromised, aged 65 or older, and overweight, the state provides a “note” that any COVID-infected people who are non-white should receive priority for treatment over white people because of “inequities.”

“Non-white race or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity should be considered a risk factor, as longstanding systemic health and social inequities have contributed to an increased risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19,” New York’s Department of Health states.

“Consider race and ethnicity when assessing individual risk, as longstanding systemic health and social inequities may contribute to an increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19,” the memo adds.

New York’s rhetoric is consistent with Dr. Anthony Fauci who stated that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed “the undeniable effects of racism” in America.

“Now, very few of these comorbidities have racial determinants,” said Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. “Almost all relate to the social determinants of health dating back to disadvantageous conditions that some people of color find themselves in from birth regarding the availability of an adequate diet, access to health care, and the undeniable effects of racism in our society.”