The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great leveler. Unlike TB, whi | Mains

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great leveler. Unlike TB, which is regarded as a poor man‟s disease, COVID has affected all irrespective of their socio-economic status. It has however also exacerbated various inequalities. It has also nullified significant progress achieved so far in poverty alleviation across the globe.

The inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic can be seen in the following areas/sectors:

1. Health care: Significant intra-state(rural/urban) and inter-state disparities in access to medical care.

● Urban to rural doctor density ratio is just 3.8:1

● Hospital Beds availability: States like Bihar are well below the national average of 0.55 beds in the public sector per 1000 population.

2. Gender Inequality:

● With work from Home becoming the norm during the pandemic to maintain social distancing, women who work full time will also have to do household chores. This will lead to reduced efficiency.

● There were reports of domestic violence and sexual abuses against women and children.

● Women are also expected to be primary caregivers for sick family members, increasing their probability of infection.

3. Income inequality:

● As the salaried and employed workforce working in information and technology had the luxury to work from home. The poor and unskilled migrants unable to find work and food had to return to their native places mostly on foot.

● Most of the workers in the unorganised sector who did not have access to social security benefits had to suffer disproportionately.

4. Education: Children from well -to -do families had access to the online classes but those from the less fortunate sections had to miss on their studies.

Thus, from the points mentioned above we can see how the Covid-19 had impacted the different sections of the society differently with the poor and destitutes suffering more than the fortunate sections of the society. Efforts need to be made and a proper plan be devised to ensure that such inequalities could be managed well if situations like this happen again in future.