During the quarantine imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Jaime Estrada has not once missed his essential job as a cook at Costco, one of the largest commercial chains in the country.

He did not want to stay at home, but he says that the need for work has prevented him from taking a few days off.

"Yes I'm afraid of catching. We all have it, but I try to control it because the bills have to be paid, and life goes on, ”he says.

However, he asks Angelenos that they can work from home; or that they do not have to go out to work, that they obey the order to stay at home.

Jaime Estrada lives in fear of catching the coronavirus. (Courtesy)

For 15 years, Jaime has been working for Costco as a hot food cook.

He was born in Sinaloa, Mexico. At two years of age, his family brought him to live in the Los Angeles area. He currently resides in the city of Downey, in Los Angeles County, in his parents' house, to which he returned after the separation from his wife, with whom he had two children of three and six years.

Jaime says that when the coronavirus emergency, all the employees were amazed to see the large lines of customers crowding the store, desperate to buy and store food.

"People have focused on buying freezer food and cleaning products."

But in the prepared food area where he works, sales have declined since the disease began. "Let's say if we sold $ 65,000 in one week. We are now at $ 41,000, ”he observes.

It was a great relief for the workers – he admits – when, to maintain social distance, a limit was set on the number of people who can be inside the store.

Jaime Estrada is afraid of infecting his family. (Courtesy)Although Jaime does not work in direct customer service, to enter his work area, he must visit the entire store.

But before going to work, you must stop by an office where take the temperature, and answer a health questionnaire. This is a process that all employees follow.

"They ask me if I have had a headache, and if I have been in contact with people sick with the coronavirus, among other things," he says.

Once you show that you are healthy, they give you access to go to work.

Already in his work station, he says, that hygiene rules have not changed much.

"Before COVID-19, we always wore face masks, a hair cap, gloves, and a white coat," he says.

When the coronavirus exploded in Los Angeles, they were asked to be more scrupulous about handwashing.

“They ask us to put on a double mask; and women have to use it. Previously, they were not required to cover their mouths and noses, "he says.

Employees continue to fear being infected. (Getty Images)

Also, before the health contingency, they used to work in groups. "With the arrival of the virus, everyone has their production area, and we are six feet away from each other."

Even with the fear of going to work, he is happy to have a secure job.

"I work five days a week, from six in the morning to three in the afternoon," he says.

When he gets home, he takes off his clothes and takes a bath.

“I lather and stalk myself several times. I am concerned about infecting my parents, and I have a sister who lives with us and is pregnant ”.

Mixed feelings

Jaime says that there are mixed feelings among his coworkers. "The elderly or people with health conditions are concerned. I have a colleague who suffers from diabetes, and she asked for three weeks of vacation not to expose herself, "he says.

But the environment is completely different among young employees. "They are incredulous. They just don't believe, "he says.

After the effervescence of the first weeks when the state emergency was declared, purchases are more orderly at the Costco of the city of Azusa in Los Angeles County.

"People keep shopping mostly for freezing meat, canned food, pasta, soup Maruchan. Hygiene products as they come, are finished. Do not last", He says.

What does not end is fear among employees. “You cannot get rid of fear. He does not want to make his family sick, ”he confesses.

If Jaime could give advice to consumers, it would be that they do not tamper with what they are not going to buy.

“If you don't occupy touching the products, don't do it. Touch what you are going to take home. There are people who not only handle the items but put them in their carts, and when they get to the box, they decide that they no longer want them. "

At a time when the pandemic curve cannot yet be flattened, he urges people not to touch the products they are not going to buy. “There is a possibility that they could contaminate them, or leave the virus and pass it on to other people. Please be more considerate of others. "

The opinion has joined the Coalition for the Rights of Immigrants (CHIRLA) to invite everyone to open their doors to their home on Friday, May 1st, International Labor Day, at six in the afternoon, and to applaud essential workers like Jaime Estrada; Or, post a club on your social networks with the hashtag #PorraDeTrabajadores.

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