The whole country is struggling to get through the coronavirus pandemic, but 70% of Latinos believe the worst is yet to come, according to a new Pew poll. Even before the outbreak, Latinos were concerned about their financial situation, and now, “many have said they may not be able to pay their bills,” Pew stated in its report.
This week’s “5 Essential Updates” for our gente includes the rates of COVID-19 among Latino children, a task-force ensuring we don’t become statistics and the drastic measures one city has had to take.
1. Latino children and COVID-19 — As many young people enjoy the last few weeks of their “summer break”, a new study shows that kids are not as safe as we thought, especially Latino students. In two weeks, almost 100 thousand children tested positive for COVID-19, and Latino children are eight times as likely to be hospitalized for the virus as white children.
2. A task force defends our gente — In Dallas, Latinos account for over half of COVID-19 hospitalizations. “We are overrepresented in terms of those that are getting sick,” said Rene Martinez, the former district director of LULAC. To make sure more Latinos don’t end up becoming statistics, a task force in Texas has developed bilingual education for Latinos to learn prevention and how to get support.
3. Los Angeles takes drastic measures — The majority of new COVID-19 diagnoses in Los Angeles are from residents under 50. Large parties and social gatherings are believed to be part of the recent spike in cases. In an effort to curb the COVID-19 cases, new policies to crack down on residents include cutting off utility service to properties whose occupants are caught violating health orders.
4. A pandemic clean-out — Spending so much time in our houses has inspired many to donate or throw away what is no longer needed, in what has been referred to as the “Great Decluttering.” For Latinos, who are more likely to live in intergenerational households, combating clutter in our houses can be an important challenge to overcome.
5. Masks save lives — Florida is one of the states hit hardest by COVID-19, but the number of deaths from COVID-19 could drop by thousands if everyone wore a face mask, according to a new projection. This reminds us that the best thing we can do for our families, our community’s front-line workers and our elders is to always wear a mask.
