The emergence of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and the resultant COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. In the United States, the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection has disproportionately impacted Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, highlighting an underlying “second pandemic” perpetuated by the deeply-rooted health care inequities and social determinants of health. In this manuscript, we warn about a “Third Pandemic” on the horizon which could be driven by federal policies that fail to ensure equitable access to COVID-specific therapeutics for BIPOC communities, and the potential inequitable implementation of such policies that could further perpetuate disparities in health outcomes
