中新網北京4月9日電(蔣鯉)美國窮人權益組織日前與聯合國經濟學家共同編寫了一份《窮人新冠疫情報告》，揭露了疫情對美國低收入社區的破壞性影響，美國貧困縣的疫情總體死亡率幾乎是富裕縣的兩倍。正如該報告所稱，雖然新冠病毒沒有區分貧富，但美國政府和社會卻刻意做到了。
該報告對美國3000多個縣的新冠疫情數據進行了分析。在死亡率最高的前 300 個縣中，平均有 45% 的人口生活在貧困線以下。而在最近的一波疫情期間，死亡率差異幾乎達到了3倍。報告認為，貧困縣人口缺乏醫療保險與此關系密切。
這些冰冷的數字背后，是美國政府對窮人的漠視。美國哥倫比亞大學經濟學教授、聯合國可持續發展解決方案網絡主任杰弗里．薩克斯表示，調查結果說明，新冠肺炎大流行不僅是一場全國性的悲劇，也是社會正義的失敗。
美國一直自詡為“西方民主的堡壘”，但卻沒能建立起一個有效的堡壘來保護自己的民眾。面對高昂的醫療成本，富裕階層自然能采取更好的防護措施盡量避免感染，即使感染也能優先得到救治。但對低收入群體來說，因無法支付昂貴的藥費得不到及時治療，只能任由病毒吞噬。
和低收入群體面臨同樣困境的還有美國的非洲裔、印第安原住民等少數族群。《社會科學與醫學》雜志近日公布的一項研究結果稱，當美國白人通過媒體獲悉美國黑人的死亡率高于他們的人口群體時，他們對病毒的恐懼就會消退。
這種赤裸裸的種族歧視竟然堂而皇之地存在于標榜“人權”和“民主”的美國社會，這令人震驚和不解。盡管“反種族歧視”口號在美國喊得響亮，但事實卻是，系統性種族歧視仍頑固地存在于美國社會。
而新冠疫情之下，美國印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民的狀況同樣不容樂觀。他們的住院死亡率是白人的2到3倍，他們缺乏自來水、健康食品和基本公用設施，相關醫療機構資金嚴重不足。
這些長期被邊緣化、被歧視的群體面對著來自美國政府和社會的不公，降低了他們在這場疫情中獲得救治的能力。他們身為美國人，卻無法享受和富人與白人同等的醫療待遇，這是不道德的。
新冠病毒不會區分膚色、貧富和種族，但美國政府卻給美國民眾貼上不同的標簽來區別對待。不能一視同仁地保護每個公民的安全，還自稱抗疫“世界第一”，這樣的美國，不慚愧嗎？
Dilemma of the poor and minorities contradicts U.S. claim of anti-Covid success
By John Lee
(ECNS) – A Poor People’s Pandemic Report jointly produced by the Poor People’s Campaign and economists at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network has revealed the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on poor and low-income communities across the U.S.
The report said that death rates in poor counties in the U.S. were almost?double the death rates in rich counties. It pointed out that while the virus did not discriminate between rich and poor, the U.S. society and government did.
After analyzing over 3,000 counties of COVID-19 data, it found that within the top 300 counties with the highest death rates, 45 percent of the population on average lives below the poverty line. And the latest Omicron variant has caused a death rate nearly three times higher in counties with lower median incomes. Lack of access to health insurance by people in poor counties is believed to be a highly relevant factor.
Behind the data lies the fact that the U.S. neglects the poor. Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia University professor as well as the president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said the findings underline how the pandemic was not just a national tragedy but also a failure of social justice.
The U.S. has been bragging that it is the “Bastion of Western Democracy." However, it failed to build an effective barrier to protect all of its people. The rich are capable of paying for expensive medical costs and receiving treatment in a timely manner even after they are infected with the pandemic, but the poor cannot.
Like low-income people in the U.S., ethnic minorities including Native Americans and African Americans, are in the same dilemma. A study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine found that when white Americans were informed through the media that black Americans were dying at higher rates than their demographic group was, their fear of the virus receded.
It is shocking and confusing that such obvious racial discrimination exists in a country which advertises “human rights” and “democracy.” The slogan of “Anti-discrimination” has never rooted out the systemic racial discrimination in the society.
The situation of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives is not optimistic either. The risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 is roughly three times higher among American Indian and Alaska Native people compared with whites, while the risk of death is approximately double. They are lacking access to running water, healthy food and basic public utilities and suffer from “systemic underfunding” for medical services.
They are persistently marginalized, discriminated and unequally treated by the U.S. government and society, which has restricted their ability to get treatment. As Americans, they are separated from the rich and whites to get equal medical treatment.
Novel coronavirus has never labeled people by skin color, wealth or race, but the U.S. does. It even claimed itself “No. 1” in the pandemic fight although it has clearly failed to protect all of its people equally.