When It Comes to Keeping People Safe, Latinx Communities Are An Afterthought
The social distancing will impact many areas besides health
The coronavirus pandemic provides an opportunity for the Latinx community to show its resilience and strength in the face of adversity. This community has always had a presence in the U.S. even though there are groups who have arrived more recently. It has built support systems across borders and across generations, so these connections will be important as the pandemic unfolds.
The nation’s largest minority group faces a unique set of challenges when it comes to accessing health care. Latinxs are disproportionately affected by chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and asthma, yet there’s a documented resiliency in certain health outcomes with this population. Undocumented Latinxs face additional limitations in their access to resources, especially when it comes to health care. In different states, there are organizations where the undocumented population can access various levels of care, and last year California became the first state to provide health care to some of its undocumented population. As the coronavirus continues to spread and impact everyone in the country and around the world, how is the Latinx community faring during this crisis?
