In America, we cannot get sick
The United States is trying to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Big cities have started to close bars and restaurants. The US central bank, the Fed, also announced a cut in interest rates to mitigate the impact on the economy.
But the problems don't end there. America has another more haunted issue. More than 25 million people in Uncle Sam's country do not have health insurance. Sick leave is often not an option because it stops income.
Amanda (name deleted by editorial), a young woman who lives in Texas and works in a warehouse at a mattress company, is one example. His job can be pretty risky, but he has no insurance. So within one year, he is only entitled to three days of sick leave, one of which is free.
"I can't afford to see a doctor. I can't stay at home," Amanda said. Moreover, a visit to the doctor could rob him of 150 euros (about 2.5 million rupees) out of his pocket, which was not a lot of money.
Another resident, Sheldon Riddle of Ohio, had to continue working in a call center service despite the fever. In his office, Sheldon shares a small room with 50 other employees. Unfortunately, his physical condition was not very good, and his liver was damaged. But he doesn't have any insurance to pay for the surgery he needs.
With the spread of the corona outbreak, Sheldon admitted he was forced to cut back on his food intake to not go to supermarkets too often and be exposed to large crowds.
"At the moment, I only eat one meal a day because I'm afraid to go to the supermarket. My immune system is not very strong," he said. Yesterday he took all the medicine he would generally need at the pharmacy. Sheldon dared to do it because there was a drive-in there. He doesn't need to get out of his car.
There is no case of corona because there are no tests
In Oregon, the number of people infected with the coronavirus is relatively low. Still, many people wonder if this relatively low number is due to the lack of cases or that only a handful of tests have been done so far. By comparison, a country the size of South Korea tests 10,000 people a day. While in the vast and populous United States, only 15,000 tests were conducted Thursday (3/12).
"It could get out of hand, like what happened in Italy. The government has so far shown shameful incompetence," Ethan Guillen told DW. Guillen is an expert in global health policy and drug development who worked for Doctors Without Borders when the Ebola epidemic hit West Africa.
The US government initially insisted on running its coronavirus tests rather than relying on tests developed elsewhere. Guillen saw this as a fatal step that was a waste of time.
He added that "the first case of quarantine was not well thought out, and the measures were insufficient to prevent the spread of the virus." As a result, it infects other people and spreads the virus further.
Ineffective health services
The Fed announced a series of emergency measures on the economic front to boost confidence and keep the financial sector afloat, including lowering interest rates to 0-0.25%. In addition, a $ 700 billion stimulus package has been launched to shield the economy from the effects of the coronavirus. Former US President Donald Trump called the Fed's action "phenomenal."
But the biggest problem is access to health care for every American citizen. Every person in the United States spends over US $ 9,400 per year on health care costs.
In addition to not insuring the majority of the population, researchers at Harvard Chan School suggest that the drugs are more expensive in the United States. Doctors are better paid. Hospital services and diagnostic tests are more expensive. In addition, more of the budget is devoted to the planning, organization, and management of medical services at the administrative level.
Anthony Fauci, America's leading infectious disease expert, has clearly warned Americans to prepare for future famines. "The worst is ahead of us," Fauci said. "We're at a very, very critical point now."
Meanwhile, US Democratic Party politician Bernie Sanders said his proposal for a government-run health insurance system would allow the United States to respond more quickly to the health crisis.
In America, we cannot get sick by ITI190 - Insurance Top Info 190.