Jim Tankersley had a very good piece in the NYT pointing out that those being forced back to work as the economy reopens are mostly lower paid workers, who don’t have the option to telecommute and disproportionately people of color. One important point that was left out is that these workers are also more likely on average to have health conditions, such as diabetes, which hugely increase the risks they face from the coronavirus.

While even relatively healthy people face serious risks from the coronavirus, it poses far greater risks to those who already have health issues. For this reason, the people who are being forced back to work face even greater risk to their health than the virus would pose to the people who have the luxury of being able to stay home.