By Susan Blumenthal
Furthermore, more women than men are on the front lines of the health care response to Covid-19. According to the US Census Bureau, women represent 76% of all health care workers and 85% of all registered nurses, behavioral and home health aides. In some states, health care workers comprise 20% of all coronavirus cases and many of them are dying from this disease.
Women have also been hit hard by unemployment resulting from Covid-19. In the US, women accounted for nearly 60% of the 700,000 jobs lost in March alone, according to estimates from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
What’s more, the economic repercussions of the pandemic could have a lasting impact on women in the workforce and as caregivers. Our government must mobilize to respond to those hit hardest economically and focus efforts on getting women back to work safely with equal pay and hazard pay for essential workers.