Implications of Coronavirus (Covid-19) for America’s Vulnerable and Marginalized Populations

National and international crises usually highlight disparities within the labor market,
disproportionately affecting people from vulnerable and marginalized backgrounds. Currently,
the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting societal changes caused by social distancing
measures increasingly showcase disparities concerning the experiences of discrimination and
access to decent work (Kantamneni, 2020). Many vulnerable and marginalized populations in the
United States endure a much harsher impact of Covid-19 on economic and work-related factors.
It is crucial to recognize that an epidemic of such proportion poses significant threats to the
physical health of the marginalized and vulnerable populations in America and maybe disruptive
to various areas such as education, employment, daily socialization patterns, and voting (Wilson,
2020). The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has turned its attention to the
marginalized and vulnerable American populations based on its concern for facilitating equitable
treatment of American people impacted by national public health emergencies such as Covid-19
and natural disasters.
The Controversy of Covid-19 Pandemic among Vulnerable and Marginalized American

Populations

Scholars and researchers have increasingly discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic
differently affects people from low-income backgrounds, workers of color, and women in
multifaceted ways. Americans from vulnerable and marginalized populations are
disproportionately represented, especially workers from racial minority backgrounds and low-
income individuals in sectors most impacted by Covid-19 (Kantamneni, 2020). There are a lot of
controversies marred by the outbreak of Covid-19 among the marginalized and vulnerable

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populations in America. According to Johansson (2021), this pandemic is associated with a lack
of decent work for most low-income workers responsible for performing essential tasks. There
are numerous work-related and economic implications concerning increased discrimination
experienced by Asian Americans and African Americans, among other marginalized and
vulnerable groups in America (Johansson, 2021). The use of masks to prevent the spread of
Covid-19 is also controversial because many regarded masks as useless, although it is mandated
in some locations.

Social Work Profession’s Position on Implications of Covid-19
Amid the current pandemic outbreak, the responsibilities of social workers are not limited
to fighting against the spread of Covid-19. Instead, Henley et al. (2021) argue that social workers
are crucial in guaranteeing the inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in
planning and response, organizing communities to ensure essential items such as clean water are
available, and advocating for social inclusivity of the vulnerable populations within the social
service system. Social workers are also crucial for facilitating solidarity and social distancing
through orientation and campaign programs (Henley et al., 2021). The directive provided by
governments towards providing healthcare services amid the pandemic is part of the global and
national efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Despite this directive, Barsky (2020) posits
that the NASW code of ethics says that social workers should not provide services unless
competent to care for Covid-19 victims. Social workers with little or no knowledge concerning
video conferencing, among other telecommunication technologies, are abruptly required to
provide healthcare services to patients. If social workers had the necessary resources and time,
they should be allowed to learn skills and best practices for using modern technology in coping
with and mitigating the spread of Covid-19.

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Personal Opinion and Rationale Concerning the Implications of Covid-19
The aim of physical and social distancing amid the pandemic is to slow the spread of
Covid-19 by stopping transmission chains and preventing the appearance of new ones. These
measures are crucial in securing physical distance between individuals by at least one meter and
reducing contact with contaminated surfaces and infected individuals. These measures are also
vital for inspiring and sustaining virtual social connections within communities and families.
Methods for promoting physical and social distancing include travel restrictions, quarantine, and
closing workplaces, schools, theatres, stadiums, and shopping centers. People can easily apply
social distancing methods by limiting travel, staying at home, using non-contact greetings,
avoiding crowded places, and physically distancing themselves from others to mitigate the
spread of Covid-19.
Values and Beliefs Held by People with Other Opinions concerning the Implications of

Covid-19

Some scholars and researchers argue that human rights are crucial for shaping the
response towards the Covid-19 pandemic for public health emergencies and the broader impact
on the livelihoods and the lives of people. According to Bonetto et al. (2021), human rights put
individuals at the center stage; hence responses should be shaped by respect to human rights.
This is because it leads to better outcomes regarding beating the effects of the pandemic on
vulnerable and marginalized populations, preserving their dignity, and ensuring healthcare for
everyone. On the other hand, social workers believe that the governments’ directives form part of
the national and global efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19. This is achievable by
encouraging social workers and other relevant experts to deliver quality care to victims.
Guaranteeing inclusivity among the marginalized and vulnerable populations in planning and

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response is crucial for enabling social workers to ensure essential items such as clean water and
advocating for social inclusivity. The beliefs of scholars and social workers facilitate social and
economic justice outcomes by educating people about social justice issues, discovering local
organizations, harnessing the power of social media, and encouraging individuals to take positive
actions in their communities.
Similarities, Differences, and Intersections among these Positions and NASW’s Position
The similarities, intersections, and differences in the positions held by social workers and
scholars are informed by the spread of misinformation concerning the implications of Covid-19
for the marginalized and vulnerable populations in the United States. According to Roozenbeek
et al. (2020), the online proliferation of information, along with its real-life hostile impacts on
public health and society, has prompted scholars and researchers to scrutinize what may explain
individuals’ beliefs in conspiracy theories and false information concerning the implications of
Covid-19 on marginalized and vulnerable American populations. Based on NASW’s code of
ethics, social workers should ensure they are competent to care for Covid-19 patients before
committing to providing healthcare services to marginalized and vulnerable American
populations (Barsky, 2020). However, social workers believe that their responsibilities are not
limited to fighting Covid-19. Scholars believe that social workers are essential in guaranteeing
the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable populations both in planning and response. More
research findings have shown that social workers play an indispensable role in organizing
communities to facilitate the availability of essentials such as clean water. Social workers need to
advocate for the social inclusivity of marginalized and vulnerable populations within the social
service system (Henley et al., 2021).

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The Success of Scholars and Social Workers’ Positions towards Influencing Public Opinion
During the past year, local and state governments in the United States urged its citizens to
adjust their school, social, and work lives in response to the increasing spread of Covid-19.
Notably, Deane, Parker, and Gramlich (2021) find that Americans agreed on various things
during the early stages of the pandemic outbreak by closing stores, restaurants, and other public
places because they saw covid-19 as a severe threat to the economic stability of the country. As
the pandemic continues to wear on, there are fewer common grounds. Currently, Republicans
and Democrats disagree over many things, including the re-opening of schools and eating in
restaurants, even as the definite impact of Covid-19 falls along varied fault lines such as income,
ethnicity and race, age, and family structure (Deane, Parker, & Gramlich, 2021). Scholars and
social workers affected this public opinion as research findings have shown the benefits
associated with the need to adjust the school, social, and work lives of marginalized and
vulnerable Americans, particularly social distancing, in response to the outbreak of the
pandemic.
On numerous occasions, the unique positions of social workers concerning issues such as
the Covid-19 implications on marginalized and vulnerable American populations do not align
with the NASW’s position. In such a situation, I will consult the NASW’s code of ethics, review
federal and state laws, seek supervision, consult the NASW, and take time to process everything
I have learned by engaging experts in matters concerning the NASW ethical codes. When a
client’s position does not align with my own as a social worker, I will not impose or force my
values on the client. Additionally, I will not judge the actions and behaviors of the client even
when it conflicts with societal values or my values.

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Conclusion

The coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent societal vicissitudes instigated by social
distancing procedures progressively showcase discrepancies regarding the experiences of
discernment and access to decent work. American citizens from vulnerable and marginalized
populations are inexplicably exemplified, especially workers from racial minority backgrounds
and low-income individuals in sectors most impacted by Covid-19. The accountabilities of social
workers are not restricted to combating the spread of Covid-19. Human rights put individuals at
the center stage; therefore, responses should be fashioned concerning human rights. Warranting
inclusivity among the marginalized and vulnerable peoples in planning and response is
fundamental for empowering social workers to ensure the dissemination of indispensable items
and promoting social inclusivity. Social workers play an essential role in organizing
communities to facilitate the availability of essentials such as clean water.

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References

Barsky, A. (2020). Ethical exceptions for social workers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and
physical distancing. The New Social Worker, 27(2).
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Allan-
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distancing.pdf
Bonetto, E., Dezecache, G., Nugier, A., Inigo, M., Mathias, J. D., Huet, S., & Dambrun, M.
(2021). Basic human values during the COVID-19 outbreak perceived threat and their
relationships with compliance with movement restrictions and social distancing. PloS
one, 16(6), e0253430.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0253430
Deane, C., Parker, K., & Gramlich, J. (2021). A Year of US Public Opinion on the Coronavirus
Pandemic. Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, March, 5.
https://www.pewresearch.org/2021/03/05/a-year-of-u-s-public-opinion-on-the-
coronavirus-pandemic/
Henley, L. J., Henley, Z. A., Hay, K., Chhay, Y., & Pheun, S. (2021). Social work in the time of
COVID-19: A case study from the global south. The British Journal of Social
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Johansson, B. (2021). Challenges and controversies in COVID-19: Masking the general
population may attenuate this pandemic’s outbreaks. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 996.

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Kantamneni, N. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized populations in
the United States: A research agenda.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7205696/pdf/main.pdf
Roozenbeek, J., Schneider, C. R., Dryhurst, S., Kerr, J., Freeman, A. L., Recchia, G., & Van Der
Linden, S. (2020). Susceptibility to misinformation about COVID-19 around the
world. Royal Society open science, 7(10), 201199.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.201199
Wilson, M. (2020). Implications of coronavirus (COVID-19) for America’s vulnerable and
marginalized populations. Social Justice Brief). National Association of Social Workers.
https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=U7tEKlRldOU%3d&portalid=
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