Seite - 19 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

19Introduction peoples, should be attributed not to their inherent characteristics or their choices, but to pre-existing structural inequities. This pandemic has exposed the systemic factors that lead to marginalization and vulnerability, including classism, ageism, able- ism, racism, and colonialism. For instance, concerns have been raised that medical triaging policies and decisions, notably the distribution of ventilators, could discriminate against persons with disabilities.76 Elderly people, especially in long-term care homes, have been dispro- portionately impacted by the disease.77 Vulnerability to COVID-19 has also followed the fault line of race. The disease is reportedly dis- proportionately affecting racialized minorities, while also perpetuat- ing racist discourses, for example against Asian Canadians, who are widely stigmatized as being responsible for the pandemic and vectors for its spread.78 Racialized people, including migrants and temporary foreign workers, are also overrepresented in prisons, meat process- ing plants, and long-term care homes.79 Furthermore, colonialism and the systemic discrimination in government laws, policies, and prac- tices regarding First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including those related to access to clean water, adequate housing, and health care, pose unique challenges in the context of COVID-19.80 Measures taken to contain the pandemic have exacerbated the vulnerability of marginalized groups and individuals. For example, persons with disabilities have been affected by the temporary clo- sure or reduction of essential services and programs, including pub- lic transportation and programs funding mobility and other assistive devices.81 Persons experiencing homelessness have suffered service reduction or outright closure of homeless shelters and drop-ins.82 Confinement and quarantine measures also have a disproportionate impact for children and women living in violent homes, especially in Indigenous communities where access to safe houses is limited or 76. Jennifer A Chandler et al, this volume, Chapter D-10; Tess Sheldon & Ravi Malhotra, this volume, Chapter D-9. 77. Martha Jackman, this volume, Chapter D-3; Lagacé, Garcia & Bélanger-Hardy, this volume, Chapter D-2. 78. Jamie Chai Yun Liew, this volume, Chapter D-7. 79. Chen, this volume, Chapter D-8; Liew, this volume, Chapter D-7. 80. Craft, McGregor & Hewitt, this volume, Chapter A-2; Levesque & Thériault, this volume, Chapter D-6. 81. Sheldon & Malhotra, this volume, Chapter D-9. 82. Leilani Farha & Kaitlin Schwan, this volume, Chapter D-4.