Community Members Discuss Possible Reasons for Increased Coronavirus Cases Among California Latinos
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, several said they did not believe it was true. They did not know anyone infected, least of all who had died from the virus.
However, the time has come for many to understand that this disease exists after seeing the contagion figures, the number of patients admitted to hospitals and the number of deaths.
While it is true some people do not have symptoms; in others, they can be painful and – worse still – according to medical reports, those who recover can be left with serious health problems, including high chances of heart attacks.
And the Latino immigrant community is one of the highest risk of contagion.
“I was very tired, headache, cough… I took the COVID-19 test but the results take a week,” explains América Hernández, 37, a resident of Fresno, in the Central Valley of California – one of the regions richest agricultural workers in the country where migrant laborers live in conditions of poverty and marginalization.
“Before the results came [que fueron positivos] I stayed at home, quarantined and reported to my work ”.
Hernández lost his sense of smell and taste, other symptoms of the coronavirus. Therefore, he decided to follow a strict diet to strengthen his immune system.
“I ordered a lot of green juices, I had ginger and chili, I made broths, I took vitamins D and C, as well as a lot of water and teas,” says Hernández, born in Jalisco, Mexico, and who works for a social services provider agency.
“I contacted everyone I came in contact with to take precautions and get tested.”
He does not know where he contracted the virus but suspects that he was infected during a trip to Chicago. “I’m not sure, at that time I even cleaned the plane seat well,” says the woman, who is currently under medical care.
You have to go to work
“The infections are increasing, we see it in our community,” says José Chávez, 26, born in Oaxaca and resident of Madera, north of Fresno.
“A godson of my mother was ill, he did not take the test but at least he isolated himself and took precautions.”
He adds that this person suffered from the disease but eventually recovered.
“Because of the type of work our people do, in agriculture or in packing houses, it is difficult to take care of themselves … There is no social distance and few use masks,” he explained. “It is difficult to isolate yourself because people need the money, they live day by day, they cannot stop working.”
The increase in contagion is also related to the lack of communication, those who become infected do not always tell their employers for fear of losing their job, even temporarily.
“There are many cases among those who work in the fields,” says Chávez. “A month ago an acquaintance died, our Gilberto, he was a day laborer … COVID-19 took him away.”
He believes that among those infected there is shame in admitting it. “And I think that machismo also influences.”
One of the problems in the Central Valley has been the slow or almost no response from the authorities.
The city of Fresno is an exception, as early as March asking its residents to stay home and wear masks. But the County Supervisors of the same name did not do this, nor did the authorities of Madera County, and others in the region.
This attitude of the local authorities contributed to the high level of infections and deaths in the Latino community.
“Religion is also a problem,” says Chávez. “Recently, in a rosary to say goodbye to a deceased [vi que] nobody wore a mask and they repeated that there was no need to worry, that nothing was wrong … This is irresponsible ”.
Schools offer classes online to avoid contagion. But in a rural setting it is challenging to meet this standard.
“Children prefer to go to class but it is not possible because of the danger of contagion,” says Zulema Rueda, counselor for the Migrant Program of the Merced County Department of Education.
“When we see that children miss virtual classes we communicate with them, we even visit their homes,” he adds.
According to Rueda, schools do what they can to help. However, there are lifestyle limitations.
For example, most of the children whose parents work in the fields are alone, their parents work long hours, and are not in a position to help their children.
“And people do not want to say if they are infected, it is a taboo,” he explains. Many infected do not isolate themselves, they continue working and make their colleagues sick.
Important Role: Faith Leaders and Employers
“At first my community did not believe in COVID-19,” says Juan Santiago, a resident of Madera and originally from Coatecas Altas, a Zapotec town in Oaxaca, Mexico. “But over time, especially in May, we already started to find out about sick people and deaths.”
Many families in her community live in Los Angeles and Madera.
Two of Santiago’s brothers caught the virus. “They got it at work, in food processing plants,” he says. “One of my brothers did not take the test but he took care of himself and has already overcome the worst.”
Another brother told his employer that he had the symptoms of COVID-19 and he demanded that he take the test and thus they were able to treat him.
“Employers play a very important role in this pandemic, they must enforce health safety standards,” says Santiago.
“People who are infected do not want to recognize it and this is very dangerous for the community.”
Other leaders who can play an important role are religious, he says.
“Our community does not stop celebrating baptisms, weddings … They are large gatherings and many infections occur. But recently a priest said that he would not celebrate a christening with guests, only with the baby’s mother and father. This is good although some do not see it that way ”.
For her part, América Hernández thinks that the worst is over and that little by little she is recovering. “There are people who do not believe that COVID-19 exists, but I lived it, it is real… I know infected, sick, they have a hard time. I also know about deaths ”.
An important testimony at crucial moments for the health of our community.
