Latinos are disproportionally affected by COVID-19 in Washington according to the Washington State Department of Health.


Latino Population in Washington

The number of Latinos living in Washington is increasing steadily compared to other ethnicities. There are nearly 1 million Hispanics and Latinos living in the state as of 2019, according to the Office of Financial Management. 

These are Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and people from other Latin American countries. In the same year, Washington ranked 13th considering the number of Hispanics in the country. Overall, Latino and Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States.


COVID-19 Cases in Washington

The number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Washington continues to increase. At this time, there are more than 11,000 who tested positive after the mass testing that was participated by more than 135,000 people. These numbers are expected to spike while there is no vaccine. 

Hispanics cover 13 percent of the state's total population and also have the highest number of COVID-19 positive cases at 1,835--that's 26 percent of all the cases--as of April 20.

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There are many reasons why the infectious and deadly virus attacks Hispanics and Latinos, and that includes their nature of work. Most of them have existing premedical conditions that raise higher risks for the infection.


Factors That Put Latinos at High Risk of COVID-19

Christine Hancock, a family physician for Sea Mar's medical clinic in Bellingham, said that Hispanics and Latinos are more likely to be infected with the virus because of their health conditions, and many of them are working in service industries.

Hancock said that since they work twice in service industries compared to other ethnicities in the state, they are at higher risk of exposure. She said: "It's something that we see for many diseases all the time. This is a glaring example of where the disparity is stark, and it's happening quickly, so it's more noticeable." 

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She added that she is expecting to see more infections and death tolls among Latinos in the coming days. 

Hancock also mentioned that another factor why there are high infection and mortality rates among Latinos is because many of them are uninsured. This is because of their immigration status. They choose to stay and die in their homes rather than go to the hospital and get treated. 

Hancock said, "a lot of patients we see are undocumented and, therefore, can't get any insurance, so that puts people in a tough spot."

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Sea Mar, a community health center that focuses on Latino and Hispanic patients, has been sending health promoters to different communities to educate people. The information they share includes steps on how to isolate if people have symptoms, where to get tested. For farmers, they focus on how to get to the field and how many people can ride in a vehicle.