Oswego State President Deborah Stanley sent out an email to students on Monday. As the rumor mill spins and thoughts of the virus spreading to Oswego State grow, she addressed the concerns that many students share: how to avoid COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus. 

There have been nine reported and confirmed cases in New York state thus far, so students should take every necessary precaution. With Mary Walker Health Center providing resources and advice on how to stay healthy, Oswego State students have support available to them. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. In other parts of the world, people are substantially less prepared to combat potential illness than Oswego State is. 

The United States government has not yet declared coronavirus a national emergency, which is probably because there have only been 11 confirmed deaths in the country thus far, which is relatively low compared to other illnesses. Health officials do not need to declare a national emergency. However, it is clear that there are precautions that our government could take to keep its people safer, but are electing not to. Wide-spread illnesses always attack the poor first. This is not because they think that the poor should die, but it is instead that governments and people in power do not do all they can to help those who cannot afford it. 

Health care prices in the United States are astronomical. Testing for illnesses, not even treating them, can cost over $1,000 without proper insurance, according to the Miami Herald. People who struggle to pay the bills may be reluctant to get tested for coronavirus, especially if they know how expensive it will be. In New York, we are lucky. Gov. Cuomo told insurance companies that all fees for coronavirus testing must be waived. This is great for people who live in the state, but those who do not are out of luck. 

On an institutional level, there is an even greater issue. Those who have lower incomes usually have less secure jobs, whether it be food service, retail or a desk job. These employees are expendable. Because of this, many employers will refuse to give days off of work, regardless of reasoning. Employees are scared of losing their jobs, which in turn may make them more reluctant to skip the doctor’s appointment or come into work while sick. Their employers may allow them to miss a day of work, but the money that they earned that day may have been the money that they needed for groceries, rent or other necessities. The government needs to step in and make sure that they are not only given the time off they need, but also that the poor are not suffering financially. 

Epidemics and pandemics target the poor. Being sick is expensive, but the testing and treatment is even more so. The wealthy that are currently running our country need to focus on those who cannot afford to be sick and support them on an institutional level. If the government allows someone to die because they could not afford health care, then they are implying that it should cost money to live. Money makes the world spin, but it should not decide who should live or die. 

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