Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Sweden is concerned that Sweden's relaxed attitude toward handling the pandemic will adversely affect the most vulnerable, particularly the elderly, minorities and children.

Francis said he had been struck by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on migrant farm workers, who even before the pandemic lived hand-to-mouth with intermittent jobs that pay around 25 euro ($27) a day.

“Pope Francis gives enormous importance to the plight of the millions of forgotten men, women and children forced to migrate within their own countries and known internationally as ‘internally displaced people.’”

Nearly 20 million immigrants work in health care, farm work and other jobs that are critical to the nation, writes J.D. Long-García, but many are shut out of assistance programs during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Callifornia Catholic Bishops Conference has urged Governor Gavin Newsom to increase aid to immigrants and low-wage residents in California while the pandemic is ongoing.

“We cannot let this moment of pandemic, which calls us all to unity as God’s children, become the occasion for further prejudice, exclusion and injustice.”