Coronavirus shines spotlight on US economic inequality

coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on global ecomy, but in United States it has thrown into sharp relief depth of inequality and sheer number of people living on edge in world's largest ecomy.

Neir rich r poor have been spared in COVID-19 outbreak, but can it be catalyst for reforms extending new social benefits to all Americans?

In midst of spreing illness, many Americans cant follow expert vice to stay home from work when y show symptoms, because y eir don't have eugh paid sick leave or don't have any at all and can't afford to miss a paycheck.

" virus is sending a clear mess: all Americans are unsafe if poorer among us do t have access to basic benefits like sick leave and health care," said Edward Alden, visiting professor at Western Washington University.

President Donald Trump has anunced insurance companies would waive fees to test for virus, but experts say more must be done.

Paid sick leave is among labour policies that have split American political parties for years, with Democrats largely saying it should be mandatory while Republicans arguing it imposes an undue burden on employers.

As pandemic spres on American soil, causing events to be cancelled and hitting businesses like hotels and restaurants, debate has resurfaced, piling pressure on Trump ministration.

"We cant fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested kws y can get ir test free of charge," Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

She said authorities will t be able to slow epidemic because workers are faced with " terrible choice" between staying at home to avoid spreing disease and getting a paycheck y cant afford to do without.

Democrats are asking for 14 days of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid emergency family medical leave, as well as expanded unemployment insurance, proposals Republicans have criticized as a wish list.

US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has urged companies to have flexible sick leave policies and "actively encour sick employees to stay home." "I will soon be taking emergency action, which is unprecedented, to provide financial relief," Trump anunced on Wednesday evening.

He said measures would be targeted at workers "who are ill, quarantined or caring for ors due to coronavirus" but did t provide details.

But question is wher se temporary measures could be me permanent.

Alden said coincidence of pandemic with US presidential election campaign in which shortcomings of social safety net and health care system are key issues being debated "make this an especially opportune moment to tackle se long-standing and poorly dressed challenges."

"So optimist in me does think this could be something of a turning point," he told AFP.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders has long fought to improve US healthcare system, extending cover to 87 million Americans who remain uninsured or underinsured.

"We cant live in a nation where if you have money you get treatment you need to survive, but if you're working class or poor you get to end of line. That would be morally unacceptable," he said in an dress on Thursday.

He also slammed Trump's handling of coronavirus outbreak -- as did his remaining opponent, former vice president Joe Biden -- saying his "incompetence and recklessness have threatened lives of many, many people in our country." However, political polarisation means reaching a consensus of expanding se benefits to more workers could prove difficult once pandemic has passed.

Some 73 per cent of workers in private sector benefit from sick leave, according to March 2019 data from Labour Department.

But this rate drops to 43 per cent for people working part-time, particularly those working in restaurants and hotels.

Employees of high-tech companies like Google and Apple may enjoy substantial benefits, for example, but y are t immune from contamination by employees of company cafeterias.

same goes for wealthy Americans who continue to eat out.

For US, coronavirus represents "a common enemy", Alden said -- first Americans have faced since perhaps World War II.

Coronavirus cases in United States surpassed 1,300 on Thursday with nearly 40 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. (AFP) SCY