Choosing between a shot and work

Here's the latest news from the global pandemic. The Covid trauma has changed economics—maybe forever Korea exports post biggest gain since 1988 as world reopens U.K. house prices post double-digit growth as boom gathers pace Having to choose More than half of U.S. adults are now vaccinated against Covid-19, yet the shots have reached White people at a greater rate than Black people and Hispanic people, relative to their shares of the population. While that gap is shrinking, one reason for the disparity stands out: People of color are more concerned about missing work if they experience side effects from the vaccine. Almost two-thirds of Hispanic respondents and more than half of Black respondents in a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll said they were somewhat or very concerned that the Covid vaccine might sideline them for a day or longer. That compares with just 41% of White respondents in the survey of unvaccinated adults. Healthcare worker administers the Covid-19 vaccine. Photographer: Octavio Jones/Getty Images North America Covid hit people of color harder in the U.S. Part of the reason is that the "essential" workforce is demographically skewed with more Black and Hispanic workers. Farmworkers and meatpackers, bus drivers and postal employees, grocery clerks and home health aides all worked through the pandemic in person. The disproportionately White professional class that spent the pandemic in front of screens is also more likely to get paid sick leave. Now that vaccines are widely available, the same dynamics that heightened the virus's threat to essential workers is keeping some from protecting themselves against it. Paid leave, financial incentives, and shots administered on-site are all strategies that employers can use to increase vaccine uptake, Kaiser's polling data suggests. The Biden administration has promoted tax credits for small employers to give paid time off for vaccinations, and some companies are offering other incentives. If the U.S. considers certain workers essential, employers now have a way to prove it: Let people get vaccinated without risking their paychecks.—John Tozzi Track the vaccines More Than 1.91 Billion Shots Given Enough doses have now been administered to fully vaccinate 12.5% of the global population—but the distribution has been lopsided. Countries and regions with the highest incomes are getting vaccinated more than 30 times faster than those with the lowest. We've updated our vaccine tracker to allow you to explore vaccine rates vs Covid cases in a number of countries. See the latest here.   What you should read Slow Vaccine Rollout: Risk for Standout Vietnam Country may lose its economic advantage if it can't reach herd immunity. Government Handling of Covid: Thais Unhappy Thailand's third wave started in April and has most coronavirus infections. Merkel Is Ready to Give Up Lockdown Powers Latest sign that pandemic is releasing its grip on Europe's largest economy. Sinovac Shot Controls Covid-19 in Brazil Town  Vaccine prevents 80% symptomatic disease in town of 45,000, study shows. Trudeau's Covid Spending Tilted to High Earners Canadian income statistics reveal an uneven distribution of pandemic aid. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022