‘Post-pandemic’ America must do more than return to normal.

The pandemic remains a threat – COVID-19 case counts are rising once again as the Delta variant ravages unvaccinated populations throughout the country[1].  But collectively, we’ve begun looking forward, often referring to this period as the post-pandemic era.  There are countless articles about the return to the office, corporations’ embrace of hybrid and remote work, and concerns about inflation and supply chain bottlenecks.  This behavior – of looking ahead to a more prosperous future when so many are suffering now – underscores the greater lesson about inequity during the pandemic.

Many of us have endured similar hardships over the past year.  We may have lost loved ones or been unable to see them; largely, we couldn’t travel; simple activities like dining out and shopping were severely restricted.  But there are many people who suffered far worse fates and who continue to deal with the fallout that the COVID crisis has wrought.

Among the many issues that the pandemic unearthed, some of the greatest disparities surfaced along socioeconomic lines and among working mothers.

CDC data shows that the percentage of Black and Latinx people who died from COVID-19 was significantly higher than deaths in other racial and ethnic groups[2].  In a majority of these deaths, the outcome could be correlated with lower socioeconomic status[3].

People belonging to racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to work low-income jobs, which couldn’t be performed remotely.  People in this category were also less likely to own a car, meaning they relied on public transportation to get to and from work.  And due to existing inequities in healthcare and community safety, many of these workers also suffered from comorbidities like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

Essentially, people of color below a certain income level faced more exposure to COVID-19 and had a much higher risk of severe infection if they contracted the virus. 

As we emerge from most pandemic restrictions and resume the activities that we missed over the last year, we must first show appreciation for all the people who risked their lives to keep our trains and buses running, our grocery stores open for business, and our food deliveries en route to our homes.  The people who were most at risk for the worst health consequences proved to be the lifeblood of society, and we have to recognize that.  But we also have to think about how we avoid situations like this in the future, where a specific group of people is so fully exposed to danger.

How do we make all communities safer, reducing exposure to toxic chemicals, waste, and pollution?  How do we get fresh produce and healthy foods into low-income communities instead of propping up food deserts?  What can we do to improve wages and benefits at hourly jobs?

In post-pandemic America, these are the problems we have to solve for.  The Biden administration’s $3.5 trillion human infrastructure bill, if passed, would be a tremendous step toward equity[4].  But absent of sweeping legislation, we still need to start addressing inequities throughout society, even if it’s just a few baby steps at a time.

Working mothers also need our support and empathy.  An estimated 3 million women have left the workforce in the past year, largely due to the many ways society has failed to account for families’ needs during the pandemic[5].  With many schools going virtual and no adequate childcare support, women have had to choose between parenting and working, as both tasks couldn’t subsist under one roof. 

But long before the pandemic, the U.S. lacked a framework to support families.  We’re the only industrialized nation without some form of parental leave[6], and we have no federal program for childcare.  Without a safety net to catch mothers, they’ve had to give up their jobs for their children, and that just shouldn’t be the case.

We need federal policies for parental leave, universal pre-K, and daycare support.  If we have these things, we can lift up our working moms when they need us most.

While it’s exciting to look forward to a post-pandemic summer in which we can board planes, eat at restaurants, and shop without wearing masks, we must also think about those who lost things not so easily recovered.  As a country, we need to focus on how everyone can gain, not just the privileged.

[1] Arkin, Daniel. (July 16, 2021). Covid cases, deaths rising in U.S., as CDC warns of ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’. Retrieved from: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-cases-deaths-rising-u-s-cdc-warns-pandemic-unvaccinated-n1274161

[2] CDC. (December 10, 2020). Disparities in Deaths from COVID-19. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/disparities-deaths.html

[3] Lopez, Leo, et al. (January 22, 2021). Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Related to COVID-19. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2775687

[4] Behrmann, Savannah and Garrison, Joey. (July 14, 2021). Senate Democrats reach $3.5 trillion deal for Biden’s ‘human infrastructure’ agenda, Medicare expansion. Retrieved from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/07/13/senate-democrats-reach-3-5-trillion-deal-reconciliation-package/7960565002/

[5] Cerullo, Megan. (February 5, 2021). Nearly 3 million U.S. women have dropped out of the labor force in the past year. Retrieved from: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-crisis-3-million-women-labor-force/

[6] Arneson, Krystin. (June 28, 2021). Why doesn’t the US have mandated paid maternity leave? Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210624-why-doesnt-the-us-have-mandated-paid-maternity-leave