
A bar sits closed in the early evening in Brooklyn after a decree that all bars and restaurants shutdown by 8 pm in New York City as much of the nation slows and takes extra precautions due to the continued spreading of the coronavirus. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
'Just the Beginning': Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Say They or Someone in Their Household Already Lost Hours or Jobs From Coronavirus
"There is no *good* coronavirus plan unless it includes compensation for these 18% of workers. Full stop."
In a troubling sign of the damage already done by the coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, nearly one out of five Americans in a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday reported themselves or someone in their household having their hours reduced or losing their jobs as a result of the public health crisis.
"And this is just the beginning," tweeted attorney Rabia Chaudry.
The poll (pdf) showed that 18% of respondents have already seen the economic effects of the crisis hit their jobs.
As the Los Angeles Times reported:
The poll was conducted Friday and Saturday, just after stocks began their steep plunge and normal life started grinding to a halt, with schools and places of worship closing, concerts and conferences being canceled and sports leagues suspending their seasons. In recent days, state and local officials have banned large gatherings and ordered bars and theaters to close in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
The poll also found Americans have vastly different views on the severity of the global pandemic and behavior depending on party affiliation:
About 60% of Democrats say they are eating in more often because of the virus, while 63% of Republicans and 60% of independents are not. (A number of states have recently banned eating out, limiting restaurants to takeout to enforce social distancing.)
The polling data indicates that those making under $50,000 a year are seeing the effects more than those in higher income brackets, with 25% of the lower income workers reporting cut hours or lost jobs.
The economic damage of the crisis to workers, Human Rights Campaign senior writer Ryan Carey-Mahoney said in a tweet, needs to be addressed immediately.
"There is no *good* coronavirus plan unless it includes compensation for these 18% of workers," said Carey-Mahoney. "Full stop."
FINAL DAY! This is urgent.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just hours left in our Spring Campaign, we're still falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
In a troubling sign of the damage already done by the coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, nearly one out of five Americans in a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday reported themselves or someone in their household having their hours reduced or losing their jobs as a result of the public health crisis.
"And this is just the beginning," tweeted attorney Rabia Chaudry.
The poll (pdf) showed that 18% of respondents have already seen the economic effects of the crisis hit their jobs.
As the Los Angeles Times reported:
The poll was conducted Friday and Saturday, just after stocks began their steep plunge and normal life started grinding to a halt, with schools and places of worship closing, concerts and conferences being canceled and sports leagues suspending their seasons. In recent days, state and local officials have banned large gatherings and ordered bars and theaters to close in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
The poll also found Americans have vastly different views on the severity of the global pandemic and behavior depending on party affiliation:
About 60% of Democrats say they are eating in more often because of the virus, while 63% of Republicans and 60% of independents are not. (A number of states have recently banned eating out, limiting restaurants to takeout to enforce social distancing.)
The polling data indicates that those making under $50,000 a year are seeing the effects more than those in higher income brackets, with 25% of the lower income workers reporting cut hours or lost jobs.
The economic damage of the crisis to workers, Human Rights Campaign senior writer Ryan Carey-Mahoney said in a tweet, needs to be addressed immediately.
"There is no *good* coronavirus plan unless it includes compensation for these 18% of workers," said Carey-Mahoney. "Full stop."
In a troubling sign of the damage already done by the coronavirus outbreak on the U.S. economy, nearly one out of five Americans in a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday reported themselves or someone in their household having their hours reduced or losing their jobs as a result of the public health crisis.
"And this is just the beginning," tweeted attorney Rabia Chaudry.
The poll (pdf) showed that 18% of respondents have already seen the economic effects of the crisis hit their jobs.
As the Los Angeles Times reported:
The poll was conducted Friday and Saturday, just after stocks began their steep plunge and normal life started grinding to a halt, with schools and places of worship closing, concerts and conferences being canceled and sports leagues suspending their seasons. In recent days, state and local officials have banned large gatherings and ordered bars and theaters to close in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
The poll also found Americans have vastly different views on the severity of the global pandemic and behavior depending on party affiliation:
About 60% of Democrats say they are eating in more often because of the virus, while 63% of Republicans and 60% of independents are not. (A number of states have recently banned eating out, limiting restaurants to takeout to enforce social distancing.)
The polling data indicates that those making under $50,000 a year are seeing the effects more than those in higher income brackets, with 25% of the lower income workers reporting cut hours or lost jobs.
The economic damage of the crisis to workers, Human Rights Campaign senior writer Ryan Carey-Mahoney said in a tweet, needs to be addressed immediately.
"There is no *good* coronavirus plan unless it includes compensation for these 18% of workers," said Carey-Mahoney. "Full stop."

