COVID-19’s damage to the working class is wide-reaching

Jessica Boyajian, Staff

The COVID-19 has been in the news constantly. And while, the death tolls are heart-breaking and horrific, other issues have arose with this illness. 

Economically speaking, the panic is causing massive damage. Already, those who are wealthy have been stockpiling unessential items like face masks and absurd amounts of toilet paper; whereas others are left scrounging for anything they can find. 

There are people whose jobs and subsequent paychecks have come to a screeching halt. Those in the food industry, for example, who rely on tips are left with government paychecks that are nowhere near the amount they’re used to bringing home .

Those in low-income housing, with too many people in the apartment complex, are more susceptible to the virus. And these are often the same people who can’t afford the testing because they don’t have health insurance. 

And here is where COVID-19 allows for some type of good to be done.

Since the outbreak, people have started to realize that those who can afford health insurance, who can take hours out of their day to sit in a waiting room to be tested for the virus, are not the ones who are likely to be seriously affected by it.

The wealthy can self quarantine for two weeks with almost no consequence. They can work from home. Their clients can video call them. They can still work without taking the pay hit. 

It’s the lower class that will be hit the hardest by this virus. 

As it is an election year, this response, or lack thereof, will be noticed by voters. They will realize that Bernie Sanders, and his ideas of socialism (government intervention and help) may not be so outlandish.