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Welcome to the COVID Disparity Quest, where you will make the choices of people from different classes during this COVID pandemic. All the characters are linked through being residents in NYC, yet their lives are dramatically different. Every choice, you, the player makes will have a consequence on your money and COVID meter. Come and explore! [[Begin]]

[[Rebecca is a young adult (23 years old) who dropped out of college because she wanted to pursue her dreams of being on Broadway. In the meantime, she’s been working with a donation only theatre company. However, that endeavor doesn’t bring in the money, so she worked as a bartender at “McClarens” to make ends meet. When the pandemic hit, she was fired and no one was hiring actresses. She has limited money and must make choices to figure out how to get through this difficult time.]] [[Dave is the owner of a bar named “McClarens”. When the pandemic hit, he tried to help out hospital employees by bringing them food to thank them for their work. He could only do this by putting himself in a tight spot. He is short on monetary resources because he has lost 85% of business in light of the pandemic.]] [[Crest is a 32 year old investment banker at Goldman Sachs. He graduated from UPenn Wharton to which he had legacy admission. He was an active member of his phi delta sigma alpha fraternity. When the pandemic hit, he was really upset because he could not go to his favorite bar “McClarens”. Luckily, he was able to work from his penthouse and do any meetings through Zoom. ]]

Rebecca is feeling very anxious about losing her job at the bar. She lives in a small studio space in Brooklyn with a steep rent of $1100 a month. It is not luxurious at all, but it certainly does cost her. She has some savings left, but it is not enough to cover more than a few months rent. Last month she barely made her rent. If she can not pay any more rent, she will have to move out and live with her single mother in Kentucky where there are no jobs or opportunities for striving actresses. Should she look for another job and earn money or should she rely on her savings for the next few months until the pandemic ends? [[Look for another job and risk contracting the virus. (C-15)]] [[Risk exhausting her savings by staying at home. (M-20 C+15)]]

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Rebecca tried looking for computers jobs that she could be doing remotely, but nobody is hiring, especially for someone who does not have any experience in this area of work. She feels despair, but through a friend of a friend she finds out that Postmastes is hiring for a delivery person. She decides to take this position even though not much is understood about the virus at this point. She talks to an affiliate on the phone who says that if she can commit to working 5 days a week, she is guaranteed a full time position for 6 months. They will still hire her if she cannot commit to working that long, but she may be fired without 2 weeks notice at any moment. Should she take the full time job and be at a greater risk for COVID or decide to risk it and go part time? [[Take the full time job (M+30, C-10)]] [[Take the part time job (M+10)]]

Rebecca knows that she has to really manage her money well now, because she has limited savings. If not, she might have to move in with her single mother and give up on her dreams of becoming an actress. One morning, she looks into her refrigerator and sees it’s almost empty. She really needs to buy groceries this week. Should she get them delivered or go to the supermarket herself? [[Order groceries for the week online and pay an expensive delivery fee of $30. (M-5, C+5)]] [[Option 3b: Go to the crowded supermarket. (M+5, C-5)]]

Rebecca talks to the regional manager in her neighborhood who informs her that there are 2 delivery person jobs available. There is one at a supermarket that is relatively close to her (10 minute walk). Rebecca knows of this supermarket, but recently heard about a few workers contracting COVID. She worries that they do not have enough precautions. There is another opportunity at a pharmacy that is only accessible through the N train, which is very well kept now, but may be very risky to take a few months from now. Which job should she take? [[Take the job at the supermarket (C-20)]] [[Take the job at the pharmacy (C-15)]]

One day, Rebecca starts feeling slightly feverish and has a sore throat. She measures her temperature and it’s 100 degrees F. It’s not too high, but she knows that it is a very real possibility that she may have contracted COVID. She does not have health insurance. Should she get a test for a heavy price, or stay at home and risk her symptoms becoming more serious? [[Spend $300 on a COVID test (M-20)]] [[Don’t get tested (C-20)]]

Rebecca works as a delivery person for several months where she interacts with many people. She has been exhausted by her job. She heard that muscle fatigue is a possible symptom of COVID and is worried she may have contracted it. She considers getting tested, but knows she will be required to quarantine if she gets tested. If she doesn’t get tested and spreads the virus to a possible customer, she will get fired. [[Get tested and lose 2 weeks of pay]] [[Don’t get tested and possibly be fired]]

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After 3 days, Rebecca gets the result of her COVID test. To her horror, it is positive, despite taking the maximum precautions and even letting go of the jobs. Her symptoms have worsened too. Her doctor says that she needs to get admitted to the hospital before further complications occur. Rebecca has no option but to ask her nagging mother for money to pay for the hospital expenses. Her mother agrees to lend her the money, but does not lose a single opportunity to insult Rebecca and make fun of her for trying to pursue her dreams of being an actress and letting go of a conventional career path. After she recovers, she has to move back to her hometown in Kentucky and give up on her dreams for good.

As the days go by, Rebecca’s symptoms get worse. She begins losing her sense of smell, and also has trouble breathing. She has no option but to get a rapid COVID test that costs $2000 to get treatment for her symptoms. She cannot afford this, and so has no option but to ask her nagging mother for money to pay for the test and hospital expenses. Her mother agrees to lend her the money, but does not lose a single opportunity to insult Rebecca and make fun of her for trying to pursue her dreams of being an actress and letting go of a conventional career path. After she recovers, she has to move back to her hometown in Kentucky and give up on her dreams for good.