CLiME Fellows Explore the Pandemic and Inequality
David Troutt and CLiME fellows Ruby Kish, Wendy Nicholson, Damilola Onifade, Ilma Husain, Aladekemie Omoregie and Amir Botros
30 March - 8 April, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic resembles nothing in any of our lifetimes, and its impact will be felt long after it ends. As an economic story, it will mean immediate loss and uncertainty for many households, probably recession, possibly depression. People who can’t afford to hoard or have jobs that can’t be done remotely will be exposed more often, putting everyone in their households at greater risk and subject to an overburdened health care system. These effects will heighten the social determinants of health for populations that already struggle with underlying conditions statistically more than others. And, with predictable cruelty, it will target black, Latino and lower-income families for disparate death and loss. Recent reports from counties that keep data on race show that it has.
The pandemic will likely alter broader economic expectations, too. Cities like Newark that are finally poised to reap the financial resources of equitable growth may see investor uncertainty and stalled projects. The shift toward working from home may diminish office development, losing jobs, small businesses and tax base. Right now, however, the effects are experienced in close quarters by each of us in disparate ways depending on our access to resources.
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