Millions of Americans are anxious about their health and health care amid the coronavirus pandemic. But for people with compromised immune systems, the global health crisis has revealed the fears they experience everyday.

What most of us fear now — that simple human contact could infect us with COVID-19 and kill us — is what those with compromised immune systems fear everyday. They worry that their medication may be inaccessible without expensive health insurance, or that they’ll be unable to receive proper medical treatment.

Liam McNagle, a senior at Syracuse University, has ulcerative colitis and considers himself to be working class. He’s now experiencing additional anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“That anxiety is very real, a little bit of what I think makes it so real especially during the COVID-19 crisis is how our health care and our health status and condition are always defined by our job,” he said.

Abbey Martin, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, has rheumatoid arthritis. She’s also facing additional challenges due to COVID-19.

“I was taking this one medication and my insurance stopped covering it, so I have to switch medications because that one medication worked well for me,” Martin said. “That’s (definitely) a worry that my insurance could do that at any point.”

It’s strange that people are now taking an interest in personal hygiene, Martin said. She has seen posts on social media that explain when people should wash their hands, something she does often to avoid becoming sick, she said.

There is currently a lack of COVID-19 tests available to the public, leaving millions of Americans unsure whether they’ve contracted the virus. Even if people show symptoms, testing can still be a cost not all can afford. For the 27.9 million Americans who do not have health insurance, receiving testing is even harder.

The millions of Americans who are taking special concern about their health and social habits can now relate to those with compromised immune systems or pre-existing conditions. Sadly, it took a global health crisis to demonstrate the flaws of our country. Due to the health care system and the economy, people have been struggling to survive for a long time.

Most people in this country are fortunate enough to only have these fears when there’s a global health crisis. This privilege should be recognized and used to promote changes to our health care system and economy.

The global pandemic has sparked a conversation about supporting those who are immunocompromised, McNagle said.

“These are the moments that we see how necessary (healthcare reform) is because health is something that is completely out of the individual’s control,” McNagle said. “A person does not choose to be immunocompromised or to be an American with a disability.”

Individuals with preexisting conditions experience the constant fear that a common cold or flu could become deadly. Now, in this pandemic, we can all better understand these worries. We as a country must be more mindful of our health and the impact it has on others when we practice good hygiene, because some must continue to do so even after this is all over.

Published on April 26, 2020 at 10:22 pm