For decades, churches have been central pillars of community health in predominantly Black communities, compensating for America's highly inequitable public health infrastructure. This role was made even clearer during the pandemic, with many Black churches serving as vital access points for testing and vaccine rollouts. 

With this in mind, it's important to consider the far-reaching effects of church closures. Using data from New York City, Camille Busette and co-authors examine the relationship between church closings and COVID-19 positivity test rates. For a healthier nation, public policy must prioritize collaborations with cultural institutions that are salient to people of color, the authors conclude. 

Also in today's newsletter, experts discuss the rapid digitalization of the U.S. food system, where high school graduation and college entry rates stand, the experiences of Africa's nurses, and why open-access data should be a post-pandemic norm.

More research and commentary

The digitalization of America's food system. Over one-third of U.S. adults have used delivery apps to order from a restaurant or store in the past year. Caroline George and Adie Tomer analyze the rise of e-commerce services during the pandemic and explore how these digital platforms could address longstanding food access gaps. 

Student achievement amid COVID-19. High school graduation and college entry are strong predictors of long-term life success. How has the pandemic impacted these outcomes? Douglas Harris and Feng Chen share findings from a new study.

The importance of open-access data. Free and open access to COVID-19 research quickly became the new normal for biomedicine and played a critical role in the development of treatments. Jacqueline Lane and Hila Lifshitz-Assaf argue that open-access data would also be a boon for social science research.

Africa's resilient nurses. On an episode of the Foresight Africa podcast, Winnifred Groves speaks about the experiences, challenges, and successes of African nurses as they faced the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as future opportunities for nurses throughout the continent.