exchemist
Veteran Member
Yes, this is a real issue. In the UK there has already been a move to give sick pay immediately instead of after 3 days as normal.I've mostly been ignoring a lot of the hullabaloo about this, but there was one interesting opinion piece I ran across the other day. One of the reasons why America in particular is ill-equipped to handle these sorts of things is because we have very weak workers rights right now. Specifically, paid time off and sick leave are not universal. They should be. Especially since the groups who are most vulnerable financially - those in the service sector working hourly wages - lack this basic right. If they get sick and don't work, they don't get paid and they're among those who can least afford to not get paid.
If Congress actually wants to deliver a meaningful spending package to help with this, something like universal basic income or requiring all employers to provide two weeks paid time off or sick leave would go a long way.
The last thing we want is for people who are infectious to continue to go to work, because they are afraid of having their house or car repossessed!
Has the US yet sorted out free testing for Covid -19? That seems to be vital.