With COVID-19 on the rise, the United States is seeing some of the highest COVID-19 infection rates yet. 

The pandemic became prominent in the United States in January when Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency for the United States. Shortly after Azar's declaration, President Donald Trump issued a National Emergency regarding COVID-19. 

The United States has left most COVID-19 measures and decisions up to the states. States, counties and cities have been working together to battle COVID-19, while making necessary declarations and orders.

In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear released an order that ceases all indoor dining, puts capacity limits on gyms and office based businesses and limits the amount of people at private gatherings and venues until December 13. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York has put forward a five-strategy plan to manage the spread of the virus during the winter months. Ohio's Governor Mike DeWine has encouraged Ohioians to limit activities outside of one's household. DeWine's Ohio Department of Health Director, Stephanie McCloud, released a health order that encourages Ohioians to stay home from 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., which will carry through some of December. 

States, along with the CDC, have recognized that COVID-19 is impacting those in minority groups disproportionally. This realization has expanded amongst states. In early September, 20 states declared racism a public health emergency on either state, county or city levels. Now, a total of 28 states have made this declaration on at least one of the three previously mentioned levels. DeWine led the way by forming a Minority Health Strike Force in April, which noted the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority groups in addition to recognizing "broader health disparities and racial injustices," according to one of the Governor's updates in August. 

Hamilton County, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, declared racism a public health crisis on July 16. Conversations about racism were sparked by a Black Lives Matter mural that was created by local Black artists. The mural, located in Downtown Cincinnati directly in front of City Hall on Plum Street, was revealed to the public on Juneteenth. 

Recently, Cincinnati City Council has consumed most of the local and national spotlight, but not due to the declaration. Three Cincinnati City Council Members, including Councilman Jeff Pastor, former Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard and Alexander "P.G." Sittenfeld, who had potential of becoming Cincinnati's next mayor, have all been arrested on federal corruption charges. With these arrests, one third of the nine-member council is behind bars. 

Even before the arrest of the Council members, many Hamilton County residents did not know that racism was declared a public health crisis. Students who attend Sycamore High School in Hamilton County are yet to be impacted by the declaration. In fact, students are still recognizing racism in their communities. 

Kevin Kim, a senior at Sycamore High School and a homework helper tutor in the community, has witnessed such disparity firsthand. 

"When I see, almost the disparity between the students that I teach (through the Princeton school district) and students that I privately tutor, it's almost surprising, the amount of different opportunities that these two students actually get," Kim said. 

In Hamilton County, there is a divide in wealth. There are many wealthy neighborhoods, but within less than a 30 minute drive, are also many neighborhoods that are experiencing poverty.

According to the United States Census Bureau, data indicates that areas with the most poverty, such as the city of Cincinnati, consist of mostly an African American population, while cities with smaller amounts of poverty, such as The Village of Indian Hill, is mostly populated by a Caucasian population.

"I think that the declaration itself points to a greater problem within the area," Kim said. "There's obvious discrimination between, even through legislation and even publicly between the richer neighborhoods versus the poorer neighborhoods. And within the two, almost clashing parts of the city, there's more African Americans within the poorer neighborhoods and more Caucasians in the richer neighborhoods and that leads to a divide with ideas, and because there isn't so much an intermixing of the two groups, people are placed within a sort of like, bubble." 

Nila Kennedy-Young, a senior at Sycamore High School, recognized a similar pattern. She noted that with a lack of diversity, closed mindsets are more apparent. 

"To be honest, it was kind of a surprise to me when I heard about it. But then I thought about it, and it makes sense, because, especially the school I go to and the people that I hang out with and just the area in general, there isn't a lot of diversity," Kennedy-Young said. "So, I feel like it makes sense and that kind of makes sense for people's mindsets to be kind of closed-minded in the way of people outside of who look like them. I was kind of shocked that it was recognized because I always thought certain things were a little racist or whatnot but I didn't know that it was to a degree that people would actually realize, or even care, to recognize." 

Leading up to Hamilton County's declaration and declarations throughout the nation, racial tensions reached a high point. As seen on this timeline, George Floyd's death in police custody took place before racism was declared a public health crisis by many states, counties and cities, along with days of protesting and the Black Lives Matter Movement calling for national defunding of police. Kennedy-Young noticed all of the momentum behind these declarations. 

"I think also just the unrest that we've had, and just all the protests and stuff, I think people are really realizing that hey, this is something that is happening and you can't just keep going," Kennedy-Young said. 

With COVID-19 still prominent and these declarations in place, it is up to states, cities and counties to make the right decisions for their communities and enforce the declarations they made during the highest point of protests, racial tensions and unrest in 2020.