It is clear that due to COVID-19, the economic status of most Americans has gotten worse. This is seen in the form of bankruptcy within our neighborhoods, and even on news channels when it was announced that the government has been handing out different loans and grants to businesses. It is safe to say that these past few months have not been easy.
The Latinx community in the United States has first-handedly seen the effects of our country’s declining economic state. According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, the unemployment rate of Latinos went from just shy of 5% in February to 18.5% in April. Many families are struggling to make ends meet in terms of bills, but even the bare necessities have been hard to obtain. About 60% of Latinos have reportedly said that due to the virus, they have either been cut from their work or have received a cut in their pay. When looking into the United States as a whole, 43% of white Americans could say the same about their situation. Although the percentage of non-Hispanic white citizens is still alarming in how many people are in this situation, the Latinx community has been comparatively hit harder than many other communities in America.
In terms of getting the virus itself, studies show that the Latinos have been tested positive for COVID-19 4 times more than a white American citizen. In a smaller study done by Dr. Eva Galvez, there have locations where the Latino community is 20 times more likely to get the virus than a white American in the same area.
When looking into the apparent vulnerabilities that the Latino community has to both of these economic and health-related disparities, a main consensus suggests that this comes from how Latinos take part in the work force. Many of the Latinos taken into account within these studies work to create the foundation of our country. From construction, farming, and even management services, Latinos have been a strong pillar in our nation. Professor Daniel López-Cevallos states that Latinos are more likely to have middle-class jobs, which are vital to America’s economy. These jobs also often require face-to-face contact with others – they are not office jobs that can be done from home. It is for this reason that this group is often more susceptible to contracting the virus.
Undocumented immigrants who also fall into this category are not registered for any sort of health insurance, which gives them no other option than to work even though they may not be healthy. This can further the spread the virus into their communities instead of having the option to stay home, quarantine safely, and tame the virus’ curve.
Latinos have been known to be the highest percentage of citizens without health insurance. In 2017, only 49% of Latinos were reported to have health insurance while 75.4% of non-Hispanic whites had it. This lack of insurance causes for a discrepancy in accessible medical treatment available for a Latino citizen should they be diagnosed with Coronavirus.
The Global Monitor 