We have been facing numerous social issues even before the crisis. But when the pandemic came, many of these issues only worsened. The fact that many lost their source of income made poverty worse. Even if economies are slowly opening and regaining traction, many are still having a hard time providing for their families.
This is but one issue that continues to stress out many people during the crisis. There are other social issues that were aggravated the crisis. Here are three of them and how everyone is trying to navigate each one.
Housing Instability
With many people out of work, they can no longer pay for their rent or monthly mortgages. Others find themselves living with their extended families in a house unfit for multigenerational families. Thankfully, homeowners and tenants are provided with ways they can continue living in their homes despite the financial hurdles caused by the crisis.
Homeowners can pause or reduce mortgage payments temporarily. They can apply for forbearance and repay their missed payments after selling or refinancing their mortgages. Homeowners with a pandemic-related financial hardship can qualify for Covid-19 mortgage relief under The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Some renters, on the other hand, fear getting evicted for their inability to pay their rent on time. Thankfully, eviction bans were put in place to grant renters a temporary stay. While this does not necessarily mean renters are no longer obliged to pay for their missed rental payments, they can still have peace of mind knowing they can remain in their homes in the meantime.
There’s also the fact that multigenerational households badly need more space to accommodate the number of family members living within a household. There are home improvement grants available to cover home improvement projects. One can also choose to sell their current home in exchange for a bigger house that will better fit the needs of a large-sized family.
Sustainability Issues
More consumers try so hard just to live a more sustainable lifestyle. But when the pandemic came, consumers resorted to non-sustainable habits just to improve their health and wellness. The use of disposable masks, buying goods wrapped in single-use plastics, and ordering take-out and deliveries became the go-to option.
Online shopping became a huge hit after consumers replaced real-life shopping with shopping online. The problem is, not all online businesses already embrace sustainable business practices. Many are still using unnecessary amounts of plastic wrappers, bags, and even bubble wraps when packaging customer orders.
Some consumer’s way of online shopping is also contributing to more waste production. This is since many people to tend to buy smaller amounts of items online only for there to come in large boxes or plastic bags filled with non-biodegradable packaging solutions;
But for the eco-conscious consumers, are trying their best to continue living a sustainable life despite the crisis. They limit online shopping and how they purchase their essentials. They take shorter, lesser number of trips to the mall or supermarket to buy their essentials and lessen their carbon emissions.
Instead of using ordinary packing, many people started bringing their own reusable bags. Others opted to buy in bulk and placing the things they buy in reusable containers. Some went on planting their own vegetable gardens at home.
Some consumers are also leveraging green financing options to make energy-efficient upgrades at home. They are investing in better technologies to reduce their energy consumption. They make sure they are disposing of old items the right way to limit their environmental impact.
Healthcare Access
Many people don’t have enough access to reliable health care. Poverty makes it difficult for everyone to buy enough health insurance for their family. Every time a family member gets sick, their loved ones are between taking their loved ones to the doctor and self-medicate if their budget permits.
The pandemic is a global health crisis that only made access to health care impossible for poor and uninsured individuals. Many people are left to die with their loved ones having no choice because they are not insured and financially capable of paying for treatment. Thankfully, there are advocacy organizations, healthcare professionals, and the government taking additional measures to give people testing and treatment in the middle of the crisis.
Healthcare professionals recommend patients to seek help from respective health departments even if they don’t have insurance. Community health clinics and local hot lines provided by health departments can help those in need of medical care during the crisis. Still, an effective campaign should be taken into consideration to help all people needing health care in the middle of the crisis.
These are but three social issues that took the most impact during the crisis. Many people are now suffering mainly because they lost their jobs and are still having a hard time recovering financially. Some people’s lack of insurance is stopping them from experiencing health care at its finest. Even eco-conscious consumers are having a hard time catching up during the pandemic. The good news is, there exist numerous strategies and initiatives to made available to address these social issues under the new normal.
