Behind Closed Doors: The Invisible Victims of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The novel coronavirus is still spreading in the United States and the death toll has surpassed 200,000 people. A large number of outbreaks have been traced to clusters originating in three settings: nursing homes, correctional institutions, and food/meat processing plants. These locales are home to typically overlooked, marginalized populations that are often geographically, culturally, and emotionally isolated from public attention. Similar conditions may also occur in a broader range of less-stigmatized, congregated living situations where institutions have control over the lives of residents and workers.
NPEIV urges policymakers and health officials to prioritize appropriate and evidence-based standards for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in shared spaces. Prior to the pandemic, individuals in underserved communities were often overlooked, stigmatized, and faced social and economic challenges that created a lack of trust in the system. The continued disregard for these vulnerable groups reflects indifference of the moral responsibility to protect their wards and our communities.
NPEIV calls on policymakers, health care officials, and corporate leaders to protect their wards and our overlooked communities with multifaceted solutions that address and support prevention and treatment of COVID-19.