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I have a new op-ed sounding the alarm about this pandemic and rural America. If we are not careful, we will lose too many communities to this virus. (1/15) https://www.insidesources.com/the-coronavirus-may-accelerate-the-demise-of-rural-america/
This may sound alarmist but the virus is dangerous. My @amprog colleague, @willingham_zoe and I, back in early March showed these places donât have the capacity to tackle this crisis. (2/15) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2020/03/05/481340/rural-communities-vulnerable-coronavirus/
Much of the discourse about COVID has been partisan but the virus doesnât care. A @BrookingsMetro study shows the spread of virus in Trump & Clinton counties through early May. (3/15) https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/05/07/as-states-reopen-covid-19-is-spreading-into-even-more-trump-counties/
Many people have been sounding the alarm about rural America. Here is a piece on Bristol, New Hampshire. (4/15) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/business/coronavirus-small-towns.html
Here is one about Navajo nation. (5/15) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/us/coronavirus-navajo-nation.html
And now the number of confirmed cases in Iowa exceeds the total number of cases in South Korea. (6/15)
I published a brief recently that showed through April 1st, the African American South and Rural Middle America are already getting hit hard (cc: @AmCommPro). It has gotten so much worse since then. (7/15) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2020/04/28/484016/rural-america-starting-feel-impact-coronavirus/
@GregKaufmann & I spoke on @offkiltershow last week about this issue showing how these areas (rural Black South) have been left behind and how policy is still lacking in these communities. (8/15) https://twitter.com/offkiltershow/status/1258812312632332289
Here is a story by @AdamHSays in @TheAtlantic on COVIDâs impact in the rural African American south. (9/15) https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/05/coronavirus-rural-south/610963/
Phillip Cohen ( @familyunequal) has been documenting the outbreaks and focusing on what is driving these increases.
Prisons, nursing homes, and meatpacking plants are driving many of the new cases, particularly in rural areas. (10/15) https://twitter.com/familyunequal/status/1256984484270018561
Prisons, nursing homes, and meatpacking plants are driving many of the new cases, particularly in rural areas. (10/15) https://twitter.com/familyunequal/status/1256984484270018561
@willingham_zoe & I have a piece from 2019 that explored the issue of these plants and how their locating in rural areas allows them to exploit workers. This exploitation is driving these outbreaks. (11/15) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/09/10/474336/modern-company-town/
The outbreaks at these various plants are unfathomable, but this is also a problem in agricultural markets. See this recent piece by @willingham_zoe and Silva Mathema wrote about farmworkers. (12/15) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2020/04/23/483488/protecting-farmworkers-coronavirus-securing-food-supply/
All this means we need more help from the administration and Congress, especially for state and local governments. (13a/15) https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2020/04/17/483461/coronavirus-recovery-demands-substantial-durable-aid-state-local-governments/
Rural communities have been left out of first three COVID packages and may get left out again. If we are going to survive this pandemic, rural areas need to be included. (13b/15) https://www.dailyyonder.com/next-stimulus-needs-to-help-us-small-cities-and-counties-say/2020/05/08/
Also, it is high time for the remaining states to expand Medicaid. Not just drop the court case, but expand Medicaid and help rural hospitals with their financial viability! (14/15)
All this talk and action of reopening the economy is WAY TOO PREMATURE given the continuing rise in cases & deaths and the lack of suitable federal policy.
If we donât get a handle on this pandemic, rural communities could end up being decimated. (/end)
If we donât get a handle on this pandemic, rural communities could end up being decimated. (/end)
P.S. you should really follow @willingham_zoe. https://twitter.com/willingham_zoe/status/1258857846004948994
