The failure of ‘democratized’ health care, and parasites on parade: Books in brief

US Black and Latinx populations experience illness and COVID-19 deaths at a higher rate and earlier age than the national average. “COVID-19 pulled back the curtain on the extent of racialized inequality in the United States,” notes the foreword to this disturbing but proactive collection of articles by 27 US academics from many fields. So did George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Both events highlight inequality arising from discrimination in health care, policing, education, employment, housing and credit markets.