Life-Altering Evictions James Toussaint had just two weeks to find a new place to live after a judge ordered him evicted. His family was unable to take him in. “I’ve got family, but everybody has their own issues and problems,” said Toussaint, who had to throw away all his clothes and furniture because they had become infested with bedbugs. “Everyone is trying their best to help themselves.”… Read the rest

Women Losing Ground The American Rescue Plan, which provides $1.9 trillion in pandemic relief, was designed to help displaced workers and cut child poverty rates in half. The actual benefits of the law may prove less sweeping. Twenty-five states have opted to cut off additional federal unemployment payments, citing concerns that such generous benefits pay people more to stay home than they can earn by working.… Read the rest

Less Wealth, Poorer Health American health was poor even before the pandemic, with 60% of the population suffering from a chronic condition, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart failure. These four conditions were associated with nearly two-thirds of hospitalizations from covid, according to a February study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Deaths from some chronic diseases began rising in lower-income Americans in the 1990s, Woolf said.… Read the rest

File photo: COD Newsroom, (CC BY 2.0) Black and Hispanic Americans Suffer Most in Biggest US Decline in Life Expectancy Since WWII Kaiser Health News – Although James Toussaint has never had covid, the pandemic is taking a profound toll on his health. First, the 57-year-old lost his job delivering parts for a New Orleans auto dealership in spring 2020, when the local economy shut down.… Read the rest