coronavirus – Page 3

Low-income Americans have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. They may also get left behind in the recovery.

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

IN OTHER NEWS

Low-income Americans have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. They may also get left behind in the recovery.

Income inequality has increased dramatically in the United States over recent decades, surpassing its previous peak in the 1920s. In 2016, the average income among the bottom 24.9 million households was US$21,000. Meanwhile, the top 1%, or 1.2 million households, earned an average household income of $1.8 million. These disparities have spurred social movements and become a central issue for some candidates in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. However, much of the attention has focused on inequality across the entire U.S. population, regardless of where individuals live. Our research and other studies show that levels of income inequality within counties and cities vary considerably across the country. Challenges in rural areas Our work focuses specifically on differences in inc...

What we can learn from MLK for a Better Post-Coronavirus Economy

13Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

SOCIAL JUSTICE

What we can learn from MLK for a Better Post-Coronavirus Economy

The civil rights icon fiercely advocated for redistributive wealth and social democracy. Fifty-two years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down in Memphis, April 4, 1968, his radical economic agenda reverberates through a pandemic-ridden nation at a prophetic tilt. “If the society changes its concepts by placing the responsibility on its system, not on the individual, and guarantees secure employment or a minimum income, dignity will come within reach of all,” King wrote in his book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. As the economy grinds to a halt to flatten the COVID-19 curve, the triage of policies designed to fill the yawning holes in the nation’s social safety net looks a lot like what Dr. King ordered. The $2 trillion congressional emergency relief bill, CARES...

Bob Dylan brings links between JFK assassination and coronavirus into stark relief

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

Journalism, VIDEO REELS

Bob Dylan brings links between JFK assassination and coronavirus into stark relief

Over the past few weeks, the coronavirus has turned the country’s cultural spigot off, with sports suspended, museums closed and movies postponed. But the virus hasn’t stopped Bob Dylan, who, on the evening of March 26, released “Murder Most Foul,” a 17-minute long song about the Kennedy assassination. Many have pondered the timing. So have I. I’m a Kennedy scholar writing a book about how television handled coverage of the Kennedy assassination over a traumatic four-day “black weekend,” as it was called. I’ve also explored how Americans responded to the sudden upending of national life with the murder of a popular and uniquely telegenic president. NBC News anchor David Brinkley, as he signed off that first night, called Kennedy’s death “just too much, too ugly and too fast.” The corona...

5 Buddhist teachings that can help you deal with coronavirus anxiety

3Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

Religion, VIDEO REELS

5 Buddhist teachings that can help you deal with coronavirus anxiety

Buddhist meditation centers and temples in coronavirus-hit countries around the world have been closed to the public in order to comply with social distancing measures. But Buddhist teachers are offering their teachings from a distance in order to remind their communities about key elements of the practice. In Asia, Buddhist monks have been chanting sutras to provide spiritual relief. In Sri Lanka, Buddhist monastic chanting was broadcast over television and radio. In India, monks chanted at the seat of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the Mahabodhi Temple in the eastern state of Bihar. Monks praying at the Mahabodhi Temple in India. Buddhist leaders argue that their teachings can help confront the uncertainty, fear and anxiety that has accompanied the spread of COVID-19. This is not the fir...

Pregnant in a time of coronavirus – the changing risks and what you need to know

30Mar

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

LIFESTYLE

Pregnant in a time of coronavirus – the changing risks and what you need to know

“So, being pregnant and delivering in a pandemic … what’s that gonna look like?” That question, sent to me by a colleague who is both a registered nurse and an expectant mother, stopped me in my tracks. As an OB-GYN physician, I naturally focus on the science of health care. Her email reminded me of the uncertainty expectant mothers now face as health risks and the health care system around them change amid this coronavirus pandemic. While knowledge about the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, is rapidly evolving and there are still many unknowns, medical groups and studies are starting to provide advice and answers to questions many expecting families are asking. Do pregnant women face greater risk from COVID-19? So far, the data on COVID-19 does not suggest pregnant women are at higher...

Permanent Coronavirus Relief A Necessity

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

IMPACT

Permanent Coronavirus Relief A Necessity

As mass cancellations of public gatherings including sports events, concerts, church services, K-12 school closures, college and university classes moving online, and social distancing sweep the country as precautions because of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, adverse economic impact is upon us and has been projected to worsen in coming months. Therefore, we need to be intentional about strategizing to create a society that on the other side of this pandemic works for all of us. Some examples of how this can be done are already emerging. The common reassurance that “only” those with underlying health conditions and those over 60 are at risk, in addition to being ableist and ageist, also encourages individualism and an attitude of taking care only of one’s self and loved ones. Those of...

Students could be undercounted in the census as coronavirus closes colleges – here’s why that matters

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Students could be undercounted in the census as coronavirus closes colleges – here’s why that matters

At college dormitories and student apartments across the U.S., census forms will be piling up – but many run the risk of not being filled in. The spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. has coincided with the start of data collection for the 2020 census. This may not affect the process for most people who are self-isolating at home. But for students, it could well affect where and if they are counted – and that could have big implications. The rapid spread of the virus has meant that most colleges have by now closed their classrooms. Many universities have extended the usual weeklong spring break into a second week. At Texas A&M University, where I am an emeritus professor, online instruction will begin after the the spring break and continue through the end of the semester in late Ap...

Love in the time of the coronavirus: Do you turn your back when someone offers you a hand, a kiss or a hug?

6Mar

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

LIFESTYLE

Love in the time of the coronavirus: Do you turn your back when someone offers you a hand, a kiss or a hug?

The toll of the coronavirus grows, with California under a state of emergency, and more than 150 cases and 11 deaths reported in the U.S.. Also, more than 300 million school children worldwide are facing closures of their schools. What does this mean for you in your personal life? We asked Brian Labus, professor of public health at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, about what kinds of physical contact are safe while COVID-19 is spreading. We are exposed to numerous viruses from our day-to-day interactions with other people all the time. However, our risk of being infected by a simple greeting usually isn’t in the forefront of our minds. The spread of COVID-19 has changed that. Conferences have banned handshakes, churches have changed their worship services, and even politicians have ch...