Will Covid19 Unite Latinos?

Today the Governor of California issued a “shelter in place” statewide order in response to the Covid19 pandemic. In the Bay Area, we had already been instructed to do so earlier this week and so this pronouncement did not feel as shocking as it appeared to the rest of the US. Although thousands of viruses exist, most are mild but occasionally there are strains that can be deadly. This is what we all face now. What makes the Corona virus so harmful is not completely clear—a severe form of pneumonia seems to be deadly among the elderly or frail. Unfortunately, it has claimed the lives of some younger patients in Wuhan, China where it began and so it’s a mystery for public health experts everywhere. The pandemic represents one of the greatest challenges we will live through because it requires so many different kinds of scientists, researchers, and political leaders to work together and it requires that everyday people do something truly heroic: make a personal sacrifice for the greater good.

We are being asked to stay home and save lives. It sounds simple enough but this will be particularly devastating for Latino families.

It will hurt the large number of us that work in hourly jobs and cannot “work from home.”

It will hurt those in college who are graduating this Spring and entering a job market that will be fluctuating or downright stalled.

It will hurt those with limited education and health literacy who cannot understand what it means to treat this virus versus a simple cold.

It will hurt those who are already emotionally burdened by isolation, depression or chronic anxiety.

It will kill those who cannot get access to healthcare because of their immigration status.

The pandemic has just begun. The days ahead may be terrifying if we cannot control the spread and if we cannot find ways to financially support the people who will lose their livelihood. It can also be a pivotal moment in our lifetimes to use for the greater good. If ever there were a time to come together as a Latino community this is that moment.