How Coronavirus Hits the Poorest Among Us — Reflections on Covid from the Philippines
(Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2020)
With each passing day, the coronavirus outbreak is exposing the widening gap between rich and poor. In many cities and countries around the world, governments have asked — and sometimes forced — residents to stay at home. But staying at home is proving to be a luxury reserved for the upper and middle classes, with many low income workers unable to continue receiving earnings without agreeing to travel for their work. Many are forced to make a somber and serious choice — risk their health to earn an income or risk their income to protect their health and the health of those they love.
When I received the note below from a friend in the Philippines, I was reminded that the challenges and inequalities we face here in the United States are echoed around the world. It is a reminder to all of us that the impact of the outbreak on our communities and economies will be long lasting, well beyond the time when the virus itself is under control.
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Originally published on Medium.com (April 14, 2020)