How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Increased Social Inequality

Growing inequality could jeopardize the achievement of internationally negotiated development goals, according to the Report on the World Social Situation 2005, published fifteen years ago (United Nations). Most of the dialogue about the COVID-19 pandemic's effects, our reactions, and the long-term legacy it will leave has devolved into a dispute about different aspects of injustice. Before the pandemic, inequality has been around in different forms in the population and in various aspects in terms of gender, race, age, and geographical location (Blundell et al.). In social inequality, different social positions or statuses within a community or society have unequal opportunities and rewards.

The economic crash caused by the covid-19, which culminated in the lockdown and drastic drop in sales in many economic sectors, did not impact everyone evenly. Moreover, this crisis has ramifications in various areas which include health, jobs, and family life and it is becoming obvious that it will interfere with the pre-existing inequalities. The most population that will be at disadvantage will be those who are hit the hardest by the pandemic. This crisis has led to the loss of jobs of low-income earners, the unequal distribution of health impacts among certain workers and ethnic groups (Blundell et al.). Covid-19 has caused a lot of issues globally and one of them is how it has led to the increase in inequality.

Firstly, the income disparities between most countries have increased drastically. Wages, pensions, savings account interest, dividends from stock, rent, and earnings from selling things for more than you pay for it are all examples of income. Income statistics do not include the valuation of houses, stocks, or other assets, unlike wealth statistics. The degree to which money is spread unequally within a group of people is referred to as income inequality. However, while millions of people suffer from unemployment others see their income increase more (Goldin and Muggah). Because of differences in workplace jobs among US ethnic classes, the ongoing recession's peculiar existence has raised the chances that longstanding income and wealth inequalities will be exacerbated.

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Moreover, Low-wage workers were more affected by the pandemic than high-wage workers. Around 50% of Hipics and blacks were employed in low-income jobs which were more likely to shut down during the pandemic (Buckley and Baruna). As, the rate of unemployment increase during this period the combined income of the top five richest men income increase by a trillion which is more than enough to donate vaccines out to those who cannot afford it (Oxfam). Income inequality is also based on the geographical location which leads us to ethnic inequality.

Covid-19 is once again grouping people based on their ethnic lines. As the covid-19 continues to spread globally across the world, one of the most alarming health disparities in recent history is the increased risk of death within minority ethnic groups (Patel et al). Many wellbeing and healthcare conditions are closely related to ethnic and racial inequality. The dynamics influencing how a person lives, works or ages is known as the social determinant of health. Racism has a complex relationship with social determinants of wellbeing. Racism affects the wellbeing of ethnic minorities by influencing social determinants of health and by having its own impact.

A large body of evidence shows that ethnic inequality is effective in the USA and the Uk. Africans-Americans in the USA has registered a high number of mortality and infection rates (Yaya et al.). However, it is said that, black Americans have lower-quality hospital - related treatment, and these inequalities are linked to psychological, physical, and behavioural disabilities that impact these people later on in life which then lead to the progression of serious health problems, which increases the risk of getting infected by the coronavirus, which later leads to death.

Most ethnic minorities experience poverty, 56% of Africans live in congested and unhealthy areas (United Nations Development Programme) and lack of health insurance. It's ironic that developed nations with integrated health services also have low and inequitable health conditions for their immigrant groups (Yaya et al). The ethnic groups that are more infected are not receiving the need vaccination shots (Voldolazskyi).

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