21 million Americans don't have access to safe drinking water. That can put them at higher risk of getting COVID-19.

Get the Full StoryRebecca Cook Reuters

21 million people in the US don't have access to safe drinking water.

For them, the coronavirus pandemic forces a difficult choice: wash hands but risk exposure to toxic chemicals, or face a higher risk of getting COVID-19.

In Newark, families at risk of lead poisoning are scared to use contaminated tap water, even though the CDC says it's fine for washing hands.

In Detroit, over 9,000 households didn't have running water at the start of the pandemic.

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The water in Oscar Granaeos' home in Newark, New Jersey, is contaminated with and not safe to drink. He lives there with his four children.

Now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, he faces a choice. Following the recommendations of doctors and public-health experts by washing his hands frequently puts him in increased contact with water containing lead. But avoiding it raises his risk of contracting an infection.See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Black and brown people make up two-thirds of US coronavirus deaths below age 65, a new study foundThe US has run out of time and excuses. Now we'll be forced to watch thousands die of the coronavirus.The US is in the middle of another coronavirus testing crisis on a far larger scale than before

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