Opportunities for Improving Population Health in the Post–COVID‐19 Era

The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, has resulted in a health crisis unlike any other experienced in the past century, with millions of people infected and pver one million people dying from COVID-19 worldwide. The pandemic has disproportionately impacted historically marginalized groups, resulting in higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death in racial/ethnic minority populations, including Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native American populations, compared with the White population. Statistics suggest that it is not just socioeconomic differences but also structural racism that has played a role in worse health outcomes in minority populations. However, the health inequities uncovered by the pandemic represent an opportunity&mdash;a &ldquo;plastic hour&rdquo; in which improvements at the population level may be uniquely possible. As healthcare providers, we must take advantage of this moment and work toward improving healthcare and increasing<br />health equity in the post&ndash;COVID-19 era. We highlight three strategies to guide us toward achieving this goal: (1) prioritizing health system equity and government improvements to population health, (2) fostering community resilience, and (3) promoting equity in economic sustainability.