Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19

Early on it was noticed COVID-19 impact was greater on certain demographics. Since then there has been an ongoing effort to understand why. Medical professionals focused on preexisting medical conditions or other risk factors related to ethnicity. In looking at statistical data of infections it has been discovered that low-income neighborhoods seems to have a disproportionally higher rate of infection.

In one situation USA TODAY took a look at the impact of the pandemic across zip codes in 12 states. The paper’s analysis revealed a disproportionate impact across lower-income neighborhoods. It found some of the reasons were limited testing, individuals foregoing testing, and nursing home density.  Additionally, in USA TODAY’s analysis socioeconomic factors played an important role.

Let’s break the socioeconomic factors into its three common components; economic, cultural, and social.

The greatest attention is usually given to economic because that impacts the money and jobs within the neighborhoods. This is an important factor, but when the majority of business are closed and or employees working from home technically everyone are in a repressed economic status.  

The other two components, cultural and social, of the socioeconomic factors, must have a greater role than is being credited. These two components are where community and family bonds fall.

During Spring Break and Mardi Gras lots of people, young and old, engaged in behavior that could be viewed as irresponsible by the casual observers and many of us. Were they being reckless or expanding the bonds of community and family? One thing was evident, COVID-19 wasn’t on the minds of the revelers. Many returned to communities near and far with more than sunburns and hangovers.

There are hundreds of smaller gathering whereby people unknowingly come in contact with silent carriers and unwittingly transmits the virus to family and friends.

While those living in low-income neighborhoods may be at a disadvantage economically when it comes to the coronavirus not having money for personal protective equipment this cannot be the sole reason for the higher than normal rate of infections. Personal protective equipment wear overall is sparse in neighborhoods across the country. It’s doubtful they are forced to engage in high-risk activities, such as working in congested areas, without protective equipment as means of survival. Then equal consideration has to be given to the cultural and social impact on the progression of the pandemic.