In the midst of a global pandemic, why isn’t the United States talking about health & wellness?

COVID-19 has presented us with an opportunity to have a real conversation about health and wellness — one the United States desperately needs — but we’re wasting it.

Over the last ten months, our world has dramatically shifted in ways that none of us could have imagined. Life before COVID-19 seems like a distant memory — a fantasy, even — as we all settle into the “new normal” of masks, social distancing, remote working, virtual learning, and limited services.

Beyond the various safety measures that we’ve adapted into our daily lives, COVID-19 has exposed how our political, social, and economic structures do not actually function in the best-interest of the average, working-class American. In fact, it seems as though these structures are actively working against us.

Perhaps the most evident failure is Donald Trump’s refusal to plan for a public health crisis and support working class families during a global economic decline. With record unemployment rates and over 200,000 dead, many politicians point to this crisis as clear evidence of the need for universal health care, accessible to all, regardless of income or work status.

But would universal healthcare actually help us through this pandemic? Would universal healthcare produce healthier citizens?