Sickle-Cell Disease Brings Higher Rate of Coronavirus Death, but Inconsistent Treatment The City - July 14, 2020 Caterina Minniti, M.D., comments on the challenges faced by patients with sickle-cell disease during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the disease's side effects that may put people at higher risk for complications and death. Dr. Minniti is professor of clinical medicine and of pediatrics at Einstein and director of the Sickle Cell Center for Adults at Montefiore.