Studies of past emerging disease epidemics have taught us that testing alone will not prevent new outbreaks. To re-open the economy we must undertake the most massive effort to trace and isolate new infections in history.
As the dust now settles and the company seeks to revoke temporary gains such as a $2 wage increase and unlimited unpaid time off, it is important to work out a long-term strategy for building power.
The nurses union SEIU 121 have also filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration calling nurse Cecilia Marcos' death "the result of inadequate PPE provided to staff."
Nearly three-fourths of workers age 65 and older—over 5 million older workers—are unable to telecommute. That means that these workers, who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, could be putting themselves at risk to earn a paycheck.
But oil industry pollution doesn't hurt human health in times of disaster only. It turns out that a common type of pollution emitted by the oil industry during normal operations may be making exposed people more vulnerable to the COVID-19.
From our vantage point at the beginning of this pandemic, it is not hard to see how it would have been different if we had had a Medicare for All system before the virus arrived.
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