
America’s gaping coronavirus inequality
America is facing what feels like a Darwinian moment where the strong in business, wealth and health are more likely to survive, while many others will sadly wither.
Why it matters: The pandemic is exposing — and deepening — many of the nation’s great divides.
- Many of the people who are disproportionately hurt by the virus have the least control over or say in the system.
- It’s predominantly the old — and the previously or already ill — who are getting hit the hardest.
- As we told you in last week’s Deep Dive, it’s exposed long-standing health care inequities and communities of color and low-income families are bearing the brunt.
- All week, we saw a stream of new data showing a shockingly disproportionate toll among African Americans.
But the imbalance transcends demographics:
- Those without health insurance are less likely to get tested or seek treatment, increasing their mortality rate.
- Those with weak governors or mayors, slow to react or stubborn to face reality, will suffer and die from belated social distancing and stay-at-home mandates.
- Those with strong health and immune systems are likelier to survive. Here, as in Italy, it is likely those who develop the strong antibody that defeats the virus will be first back to work and to return to normal life.
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Πηγή: axios.com