Aug 18, 2020 - Economy & Business

The coronavirus double whammy for older women and workers of color

Erica Pandey, author of @Work

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo by Watford/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images.

Older women and workers of color are likely to suffer the worst economic effects as the pandemic and recession drag on, experts say.

The big picture: "We know from past recessions that if you're an older woman or an older worker of color, your ability to become re-employed is even more difficult than that of an older white man," the Urban Institute's Johnson says.

  • Older women earn less than older men — and they're likely to have less money saved and to live longer, says Jenkins of AARP.
  • Among older people of color, around 12% of women and 10% of men have exited the workforce since March, per the New School's Schwartz Center. When looking at older white workers, that drops to 7.5% of women and 5% of men.

The bottom line: Workplace discrimination on the basis of gender or race gets magnified with age.

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Marisa Fernandez
Sep 25, 2020 - Health

Young people accounted for 20% of coronavirus cases this summer

Hundreds of beachgoers pack in without social distancing in July. Photo: Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

People in their 20s accounted for more than 20% of all COVID-19 cases between June and August, analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows, bringing the median age of coronavirus patients to 37, down from 46 in the spring.

Why it matters: Young people are less vulnerable to serious illness, but they contributed to community spread over the summer, the analysis says — meaning they likely infected older, higher-risk people, especially in the South.

Axios
Updated 14 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12:30 p.m. ET: 32,626,165 — Total deaths: 990,134 — Total recoveries: 22,523,822 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12:30 p.m. ET: 7,040,313 — Total deaths: 203,918 — Total recoveries: 2,727,335 — Total tests: 99,488,275 — Map.
  3. States: U.S. reports over 55,000 new coronavirus cases — "We’re not closing anything going forward": Florida fully lifts COVID restaurant restrictions.
  4. Health: Young people accounted for 20% of cases this summer — The long-term pain of the mental health pandemic — Fewer than 10% of Americans have coronavirus antibodies.
  5. Business: Millions start new businesses in time of coronavirus.
  6. Education: Summer college enrollment offers a glimpse of COVID-19's effect.
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Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

America on edge as unrest rises

Louisville on Wednesday. Photo: Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Rarely have national security officials, governors, tech CEOs and activists agreed as broadly and fervently as they do about the possibility of historic civil unrest in America.

Why it matters: The ingredients are clear for all to see — epic fights over racism, abortion, elections, the virus and policing, stirred by misinformation and calls to action on social media, at a time of stress over the pandemic.

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