MODESTO, Calif. — The Latino community has seen its COVID-19 infections rise at a disproportionate rate compared to other racial and ethnic groups across many counties in Northern California.
In Sacramento County, Latinos only make up 24% of the population but suffer 30% of the total number of infections.
In Solano County, Latinos are 24% of the population but bear 35% of COVID-19 infections. By contrast, White people are 37% of the population but only make up 25% of infections.
However, the most startling contrast is in Stanislaus County. White people made up 40% of the population and Latinos 48% of the population. Yet, White people represented only 19% of COVID-19 infections while Latinos made up 71%.
Jose Rodriguez is the CEO of El Consilio the largest Latino-based, non-profit agency in California’s Central Valley. He explained what he believes could be some contributing factors to the disproportionate infections in the Latino community.
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“Many of them are considered essential workers and so they did not have the luxury to stay at home. So, they’ve been working and they’ve been exposed,” said Rodriguez. “Another issue for them is access to healthcare. Many of them unfortunately don’t have health insurance or a way to be able to get tested and a way to be able to get access to healthcare. So if they have symptoms, they’re less likely to go and get tested and get treated. And then third, unfortunately because of the expensive housing, you have a couple families sharing a house and there’s not an opportunity for them to quarantine themselves or be able to socially distance when they’re living together.”
Yamilet Valladolid, a community organizer with a masters in public health, helps keep the Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Latino communities updated on a Facebook page she started when the pandemic began.
“There’s a lot of fear about losing their job,” said Valladolid. “Some people might not have access to unemployment, so it’s either paycheck or no paycheck.”
Both Rodriguez and Valladolid said they could understand why infections are being attributed to in-home gatherings.
“The home gatherings has a lot to do with the fact we tend to value family, so... when there’s those opportunities to get together to celebrate birthdays and things like that, they’re still doing it despite the warnings,” said Rodriguez.
Valladolid echoed a similar sentiment.
“We’re a culture that celebrates a lot of different accomplishments and so much that, unfortunately, I still see a lot of people getting together and not taking the proper measures,” said Valladolid.
Rodriguez and Valladolid said education and access to resources is key.
“I think that there has to be a way that there can be better testing,” Rodriguez said. “Make it more accessible to folks after hours if they have to work and (let) them know that it’s free and there’s no cost associated with it, because I think that’s one of the concerns.”
Charts: Latinos disproportionately impacted by coronavirus infections
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