People wait in line at a COVID-19 testing site in New York, the United States, March 28, 2022. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
LONDON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A new report has concluded that while the novel coronavirus did not discriminate between rich and poor, the U.S. society and government did, The Guardian reported on Monday.
Based on an analysis of data from more than 3,000 counties across the United States, the Poor People's Pandemic Report found that people in poorer counties have died overall at almost twice the rate of those in richer counties, The Guardian said.
The disparity in death rates was even more pronounced during the most deadly surges of the virus, it said. As the third pandemic wave hit the United States over the winter of 2020 and 2021, death rates were four and a half times higher in the poorest counties than those with the highest median incomes.
During the recent Omicron wave, that divergence in death rates stood at almost three times, it added.
"The findings of this report reveal neglect and sometimes intentional decisions to not focus on the poor," said Bishop William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, which jointly prepared the research. "The neglect of poor and low-wealth people in this country during a pandemic is immoral, shocking and unjust." ■
