GLOBAL NEWS | Coronavirus pandemic exposing health inequities among Canadians, experts say
The ongoing聽coronavirus聽crisis is exposing health inequities that have long existed in Canada. As well, Canadian charities and agencies are busy trying to meet the increased need brought on by the pandemic.
鈥淲e can see that聽COVID-19聽is hitting communities that are socially and economically marginalized or disadvantaged hardest,鈥澛犉教匚宀恢 associate professor Nicholas King, who studies public health policy and ethics, told Global News. King says this impact has to do with a number of 鈥渟tructural disadvantage or cumulative disadvantage鈥 factors, including living in 鈥渉igh-density鈥 environments and working certain jobs now deemed essential during the pandemic.
鈥淭hey have families to support, and now their occupations have been deemed essential,鈥 King said of people living in such communities. 鈥淭hey have to go to work both to put food on the table and also because they鈥檙e in jobs where they still will be going to work.鈥