Covid-19 has shown inequality in American society, where millions of people do not receive adequate health insurance if they are exposed to nCoV.

The Covid-19 pandemic was affecting the global economy. In the US alone, it has shown a clear gap between rich and poor, as well as a large number of people without health and financial security in the world's largest economy.

The US currently records 1,762 cases of nCoV, of which 41 have died. However, many Americans cannot follow quarantine instructions when they find symptoms of a viral infection, because they do not have enough or do not have paid sick leave days to work.

"The virus is sending a clear message: All Americans are not safe if the poor do not have access to basic benefits like health care and sick leave," said Edward Alden, visiting professor at the university. study West Washington, point out.

US President Donald Trump announced on March 11 that insurance companies would pay for the nCoV test, but did not pay for the treatment. Experts say this policy is not enough and the Trump administration needs more action.

Paid sick leave has been one of the controversial policies among US political parties for many years. Democrats want this policy to become mandatory, while Republicans think it will cause undue burden on businesses.

An epidemic spread in the US has forced a series of events to be canceled and affected a number of businesses such as hotels and restaurants. This made the controversy hot again, causing pressure on the Trump administration to increase.

"We cannot deal with nCoV effectively, unless people know that they will get free tests," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. She said US officials would not be able to curb the spread of Covid-19 when workers face the "worst option" to stay home to avoid nCoV infection or to earn a living and be at risk of illness. .

The Democratic Party is proposing a 14-day paid sick leave policy with a maximum of 3 months sick leave for family medical emergencies, as well as expanding unemployment insurance for Americans. Republican MPs objected, saying that this was a "false dream".

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges companies to adopt flexible sick leave policies and "proactively encourage sick employees to stay home."

"I will soon implement urgent and unprecedented measures to provide financial assistance," Trump said in a speech at the White House on March 11, confirming that these solutions would support people. workers "are ill, in quarantine or care for others infected with nCoV", but did not give details.

The current question is whether such temporary measures will be implemented long-term after the end of a pandemic.

Professor Alden said that Covid-19 showed the shortcomings of the US health care and social security system. Covid-19 erupted right into the US presidential campaign, making these issues the focus of debate among parties and candidates.

"This is a special opportunity to deal with unresolved challenges. The optimistic person in me believes that pandemics can create a turning point in the United States," he added.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has long sought to improve the US health care system, to ensure affordability for 87 million uninsured or underpaid people.

"We cannot live in a country where the rich have access to all treatments to preserve their lives, while the poor and working-class have to accept things at the bottom. It's impossible." acceptable, "Sanders told supporters on March 12, criticizing Trump's response to Covid-19.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden has a similar view, saying that the White House boss "is threatening the lives of many Americans because of incompetence and recklessness".

However, such political controversies only make efforts to increase benefits for the working class more difficult after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

73% of people working in US private companies benefit from a paid vacation policy, according to US Department of Labor March 2019 data. However, this figure is only 43% for part-time workers, especially in the field of restaurants and hotels.

Employees of high-tech corporations like Google and Apple enjoy many preferential policies, but they face the risk of infection from people working in the company canteen. The same thing happens to the elite, who still go to restaurants during an outbreak.

"nCoV is America's first general enemy since World War II," Professor Alden commented.