Coronavirus is the biggest issue of 2020. It is brought up everyday, everywhere, and in all circumstances. Countries that have been holding back the virus and the ones that dithered have been put into the spotlight. Because of COVID-19, many serious issues, such as immigrant dilemmas, corrupt governments, social problems, and also fragile economies are now revealed.

Singapore: poor conditions for migrant workers

Despite the relatively strict measures early on in Singapore, it has now lost control of its coronavirus outbreak. The spike in Singapore’s coronavirus cases has revealed an uncomfortable truth about the treatment of migrant workers.

Migrant workers live in cramped dormitories with up to 20 people, sharing common facilities, such as bathrooms and kitchens with over hundreds of men on each floor. All of these migrant workers come from countries such as India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, and they typically work in labor-intensive sectors like construction and the maritime industry for short term contracts.

For years, Singapore has treated these workers as a separate local community. They have no rights to permanent residency no matter how long they live there and how hard they work. They are totally segregated; they are housed separately, paid less, and are seen as potential threats to society.

With no respect for nationality, race, or residency status, COVID-19 has shone a light on the hollowness of this segregation. Those migrant workers in marginalised communities have a higher transmission rate, given the large numbers of workers in packed dormitories.

Though Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) states that the living conditions have “continued to improve” the poor living conditions in some dorms are still a huge problem, ranging from kitchens invaded by cockroaches to overflowing urinals.

America: corrupt government

The main problem America faces in the coronavirus outbreak is its corrupt government. President Trump is the main culprit. He has botched handling the COVID-19 crisis, left the US looking like a “third world country”, and put it on course for a second Great Depression.

President Trump blamed everything, on China, the WHO (World Health Organization), and even on the former president, Barack Obama, for the testing failures and shortage of medical supplies. He blames everyone but himself. President Trump also reacted way too slowly, which was the main reason why America failed its pandemic response.

While the frontline doctors, workers, and regular citizens are working hard and following the rules to fight the virus, there is one person that only cares about reopening America and the economy, making everyone go back to work, and “making America great again.”

All experts and many governors have warned President Trump with how serious the outbreak is and how many deaths and cases there are, but he never listens. It is the clearest sign yet the President is setting the groundwork to blame the desperate economic circumstances on Democratic governors’ decisions, rather than taking steps to change his conduct and recognizing shortcomings in the handling of the crisis by his government.

Britain: domestic violence rate

Britain is one of the most hard-hit countries in the world. A major issue that now has people’s attention is the surge in domestic violence rate and cases. Domestic abuse was not a new phenomenon. There were already cracks in society, but the pandemic has caused it to shatter.

The UK’s largest domestic abuse charity, Refuge, has reported a 700% increase in calls to its helpline in a single day, while a separate helpline for perpetrators of domestic abuse seeking help to change their destructive behavior received 25% more calls after the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Towns, cities, and the country went into lockdown and later on extended it, and people were forced to stay at home and keep social distancing. Compared to their lifestyle and schedule before the outbreak, going to work early in the morning and arriving home late at night, people now have to be shut in with their families for weeks and possibly even months. Abusers and their partners having to self-isolate together at home has led to the domestic violence surge.

Italy: fragile economy

With nearly 200,000 reported cases, including over 25,000 deaths, Italy is the worst-hit country in Europe. The coronavirus is ripping Italy apart in an economic crisis that has the potential to trigger worldwide financial pandemonium. The fear about economic ruin is widespread in Italy, with some people unable to buy food or pay rent.

Italy has endured three recessions in recent years, financial, debt, and migration crisis. Plus, cities in Italy have extremely high debts, some of the largest in Europe. Therefore, any additional spending on COVID-19 initiatives is challenging, given their exceptionally high government debts. Yet, the coronavirus has made their economic issues even worse and shattered their economic future.

This could be the biggest and deadliest recession ever in Italy, with that many people dying and the ongoing uncertainty. COVID-19 can cause long-lasting effect even after the pandemic has ended.

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The coronavirus has been ravaging the world for over four months. In these four months, people can see how governments are handling it, both doing the best and worst jobs.

Many severe problems that were not taken seriously by governments are now brought back up again in countries like Singapore, America, Britain, and Italy. The only way to make these countries better and more advanced is to take action and not ignore them.