COVID-19’s Attack on Hispanics (Felipe Barria)

Since 2019, Hispanics made up 20% of the essential workers in transportation and warehousing and 40% in the cleaning business (Center of Public Integrity). COVID-19 has impacted multiple groups of ethnicities; however, COVID-19 has heavily impacted minorities, especially Hispanics. How does COVID-19 impact Hispanic communities and jobs in Massachusetts and Illinois?

In Massachusetts, Hispanics cover 12% of the population, but the Massachusetts Hispanics make up for 30% of COVID-19 cases in (22News). Massachusetts Latinos have also been hit heavily in their jobs since many Hispanics that live in Massachusetts were considered essential workers. In early April, a town, Chelsea, Massachusetts, was hit incredibly hard by the virus. As of April 7th, there was a rate of about 79 cases of COVID-19 per 10,000 residents. The statistic is an alarming rate considering it is greater than the rate per resident in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Joseph Betancourt, Massachusetts General Hospital’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, had approximated that 35-40% of the patients that were confirmed to have the COVID-19 were Hispanic (ACLU Mass.). Dr. Joseph Betancourt claimed that COVID-19 is an “absolute epidemic” in “hoods like Chelsea”. The reason why towns with a large Hispanic population may be affected heavily is that many are considered essential workers, and the places those Hispanics live in are tight apartments that the virus can easily spread in. State Representative Carlos Gonzalez confirms this theory since he believes that many Latinos are living in dense areas in small apartments and working during the pandemic. Carlos Gonzales also states that Hispanics are at a disadvantage with inequalities of housing in towns like Chelsea.

Similarly, a similar situation is occurring in Little Village Chicago, Illinois. The Hispanics in Chicago represent almost 39% of confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, the Hispanic population only covers 30% of the population (CNN). The Hispanic population and COVID-19 infection statistics are very similar to the ones in Massachusetts. Massachusetts and Illinois’ Latinos are being affected heavily based on the fact that many are labeled as essential workers. Frankie Miranda, president of the Hispanic Federation, states, “These are the delivery food people, the people that are the day workers, the farmworkers, these are people that are working in restaurants. They are essential services, and now they are not enjoying the protections that maybe in other industries people can have” (CNN). 

Sources: 

https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/covid-19-disproportionately-impacting-hispanic-communities-in-massachusetts/ 

https://www.aclum.org/en/publications/data-show-covid-19-hitting-essential-workers-and-people-color-hardest 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/09/us/hispanic-population-coronavirus-impact/index.html 

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/05/05/financial-and-health-impacts-of-covid-19-vary-widely-by-race-and-ethnicity/