Innovation in the Ongoing Pandemic
Introduction
The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives worldwide. According to Walsh, pandemics relating to viruses, bacteria, and parasites are known to have the largest calamities in the world. As of 11th May 2020, there are 284,680 deaths across the globe, with about 4.2 million infections (World-O-Meter). The virus has far-reaching effects that are both long and short-term. Despite the general effects of the virus on the population, the virus has particularly deep-reaching effects on women, especially African-American women who are at the intersection of various issues in society. We shall analyze the background of the situation, the affected community, the various perspectives, the possible solutions, and their implications.
Discussion
Background of the Situation
The first case of COVID-19 can be traced back to November of 2019. A 55-year-old man in Hubei Province, China, was the first person to have been confirmed to have the virus (Bryner). As of May 11, 2020, there are about 4.2 million infections across the world. The total number of deaths across the world stands at 284,680 cases, with about 1.5 million recoveries (World-O-Meter). Various measures have been taken to tame the spread of the virus across the world. Some of the measures include placing institutional lockdowns, engaging in social distancing rules, and the increased testing of individuals to identify cases and isolation. Many economies have been hard hit by the virus.
In the US, consumption patterns have been disrupted. The consumption patterns of the US are responsible for 70% of its gross domestic product (Miller). As a result of the social distancing rules, many businesses have been forced to close down due to the lack of customers. Many households have reported reduced spending measures as a way of creating more savings due to the uncertainty brought by the pandemic (Miller).
Unemployment is the biggest issue that has affected the vast majority of economies. The unemployment record in the US is being recorded weekly, with the highest record reaching about 5.2 million people (Lambert). As of 18th April 2020, there were 26 million people who had filed unemployment claims in the US. Adding to the previous 7.2 million unemployed before the pandemic, the country has about 33 million unemployed people making it the highest number since 1934. Various sectors are taking the hit rather brutally. These sectors include the hotelier and restaurant industry, entertainment, arts, and recreation (Miller).
There are also some social and mental impacts of the pandemic. The lower social class has been widely affected. Homeless people are widely affected as they do not have safe shelters making them highly exposed to COVID-19 and its effects (UN). Another group in the same category is refugees, migrants, and displaced people. They have limited movement, access to employment opportunities, and lack the adequate resources to sustain themselves. On the mental side, people with existing conditions have been affected most. These conditions include dependency and mental health. In the US, 45% of the population has reported experiencing a negative impact on their mental health that is characterized by high levels of worry and stress (Panchal et al.). The use of isolation as a key strategy to stop the spread of the virus is particularly creating vulnerabilities as it is linked with high rates of increased mental health issues development. The increased loss of jobs also affects the development of depression and low self-esteem among affected individuals.
Affected Group – Focus on African American Women and Various Perspectives
One of the most affected communities by the pandemic is the African American group. As compared to other groups, the African American group is being affected by a three-fold factor (Yancy). Looking at the death rates, the African American group, as compared to the White community, is being affected by a factor of six times the normal rate (Yancy). This reveals that the minority groups are being affected in a pattern that is undeniable due to the high infection and death rates. This is an important factor to consider, as it shows that there is a health care disparity in the US that is affecting the minority ethnic communities. Among the African American communities, the women are being affected at a far larger rate than the men and the elderly.
The position of Black Women in the pandemic is unique. African American women are at the intersection of oppression resulting from institutional inconsistencies, the community systems, and the high healthcare disparities in the US. The healthcare disparity reveals that there is a high likelihood of Black Women being denied medical assistance (Lindsey). In the State of Georgia, a 65-year-old black woman died from the coronavirus after being denied care at the local hospital (Salo). In the fight against the pandemic, black women are also finding themselves at the intersection of being undervalued professionally. In Maryland – George’s County – one 27-year-old black woman contracted the virus while serving the elderly and later died (Hanna). The woman was positioned at the front line at a grocery store and was not provided with the appropriate prevention attire. Additionally, the lady had a pre-existing condition – cerebral palsy – which made her highly vulnerable as a black woman.
Black women face a tough time during this pandemic. On the one hand, if they do not work, they are at risk of putting their lives in jeopardy. On the other hand, there is a high level of risk associated with the pandemic and the majority of the professions in which they are located. Therefore, for black women, the choice is between potential death as a result of the virus or risk being subjected to poor living conditions that make them highly vulnerable.
Black women who have some pre-existing conditions or are pregnant are highly at risk. Women who have some form of disabilities have great difficulty in receiving care. People suffering from lupus conditions have been experiencing a shortage in the supply of the necessary medication due to pharmacies running out of the medication (Lindsey). There has been a worldwide shortage in the protective equipment and testing kits during this pandemic. At a future point, if there is a shortage in ventilators and hospital beds, the decision for the members of the society that will receive care will have a high chance of sidelining black women, especially those who come from low socio-economic classes (Lindsey). This is a decision that will most probably sideline the black women who have some pre-existing conditions, especially disabilities.
Pregnant black women are disadvantaged greatly due to the pre-existing condition before the pandemic. As of 2018, there were about 17 maternal deaths in every 100,000 pregnant women (Chuck). Among the deaths, the rate of black women was higher by the rate of 2.5 times that of white women. There are no clear reasons for the high mortality rates of black women during birth, but it has been historically the case. During this pandemic, this situation is likely to become worse, especially with an increasing number of pregnant women testing positive for COVID-19 (Lindsey). Black women from the lower socio-economic class are likely to be highly affected as compared to other groups.
What should be done?
The coronavirus pandemic is more than a health issue. The pandemic affects society in a variety of ways. As such, the effect on black women can be mitigated using a combination of various responses. To begin with, there is a need for a community-based response. Various groups in the society have to be incorporated in this community-based approach. To begin with, there is a need to apply for an economic stimulus program in a direct targeting manner. Currently, the US has activated an economic stimulus program that has been directed to the poor who will receive a small amount of cash to aid in meeting everyday needs (Miller). This is a program that will take care of people until the pandemic is over. However, there is a need to focus on black women. This can be done by a targeted program specifically aimed at black women enterprises that understand their unique position in society and the specific financing needs with additional flexibility that may require.
The economic stimulus program can also target the sectors of the economy that are characterized by a large number of black women from low-income groups. Some of the sectors that can be targeted include the tourism, hospitality, and retail sectors. The capacity should be aimed at enabling the women to brave the tough economic times and where possible to support them in the developing solutions to handling the pandemic that aligns with their needs.
Another way that a stimulus program can help women is through gender-directed procurement programs. There is a need to have procurement strategies that target black women enterprises as a way of boosting their business ventures. This is majorly targeted in the low-class citizens of the country. For this to be successful, both government and private sectors have to unify their effort to champion this program.
Another aspect is having equal risk-sharing mechanisms in the line of work. The developed public policies have to consider the role of men and women in the fight against COVID-19. The risks that are faced by men and women are inherently different during the period of the pandemic. In this way, there is a need to consider more than just the care workers but also other professionals such as domestic workers. As such, some of the policies that have been developed have to consider the gender balance for an even proportionality.
In developing these policies, there is a need to look at the decision-making ability of both men and women in the process. Being that the policies and programs are aimed at the disadvantaged black women, there is a need to consider their input in the process. There is a need for women leaders to be vocal and advocate for the rights and needs of the disadvantaged black women. One of the ways that this can be made possible is by the women at the forefront of the fight being considered predominantly in decision-making as they have a better perspective of the COVID-19 situation.
For all these mechanisms to work efficiently, there is a need for adequate data. Also, there is a need to boost strategies through good coordination mechanisms. For this purpose, there is a need for accurate data. For accurate data to be collected, there is a need for women to seek justice for themselves in a proactive manner. Women have to take up the task by themselves, which requires encouragement to seek justice. One of the ways of doing this is by developing better linkage between the social justice and peace coordination systems in the country, especially at the grassroots level. These systems can be an asset in gathering adequate data for integrated gender planning, response, and preparedness mechanisms for dealing with the pandemic.
Implications of the Response
Various implications can be expected from the implementation of the responses. To begin with, there is a reduction in the number of coronavirus infections among the group people. This will occur by empowering black women to be self-aware and protective of themselves and the community. Women are naturally the caregivers in the community and also seek to empower the community members. As such, by having women empowered with the tools to brave the pandemic, there is a two-fold effect of protecting the children and their families as well from the effects of the pandemic.
Another implication is the development of more resilient societies to face the pandemics that come along. The US, in particular, is prone to many natural disasters in the form of hurricanes, storms, and flooding. As such, this pandemic can set the stage for developing long-term mechanisms for aiding the most affected and vulnerable members of society. This can mean that the society is better prepared and more resilient in handling future pandemics that may come in various forms.
Finally, the responses imply having the community members have shock absorbers for the adverse effect of the pandemic. As stated, black women are at the intersection of various issues that affect them negatively. As such, the coronavirus pandemic is hitting them the hardest due to the high exposure to the effects. Through the responses such as the economic stimulus programs, black women will have to face less risk in handling the effects of the pandemic and, as such, be better positioned to take care of their families and communities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, through an analysis of the COVID-19 situation, the identification of the affected community, and the various perspectives it affected, the possible solutions and their implications, we can better understand the ongoing pandemic. African American women are highly vulnerable during this pandemic as they lie at the intersection of the various negative impacts of social class and discrimination. Black women are faced with the high vulnerability of being jobless while facing the high risk of facing the virus as they occupy job positions that make them highly vulnerable. The system is also against them as they are likely to be denied access to quality healthcare. Black women with pre-existing conditions are widely affected as they are not given any priority, especially where medication and equipment are scarce. A multi-sector approach to solving the issue is a necessary process that looks at having community-based solutions as well as economic stimulus programs that are targeted at black women enterprises and individuals. This can imply reducing the effects of the pandemic on their families as well as the community, especially with women being naturally the caretakers of the community. Also, there is the implication of developing resilience in the group to deal with future pandemics that may arise by developing structures that can be activated at a future time.
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