Amid the Rising COVID-19 Cases in LA, Latinos Bear the Heaviest Burden

By Neil P. First Posted: Jan 18, 2021 07:58 AM EST

Latinos in Los Angeles remains heavily affected by the global pandemic as the county reaches more than one million COVID-19 infections on Saturday.

(Photo : Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Latinos heavily impacted in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has reached more than one million COVID-19 infections on Saturday. This is the first county in the U.S. that reached more than one million since the pandemic began. Most of those who got infected are coming from the Latino community.

Los Angeles is a county of 10 million people and 40 percent of the state's population are Latinos. According to state public health data, 55 percent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases and 46.5 percent of all deaths are coming from the Latino community.

The county public health officials also said death rates among Latinos in L.A. are twice as high as in the rest of the population. Additionally, the number of hospitalized Latinos due to COVID-19 is three times higher compared to white people.

Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county's public health director, said "As cases surge, it's very clear and very alarming that certain groups are, once again, bearing the greater burden of illness than others. The surge shows what happens as the gaps widen between the people living in the highest-resource areas and those in the lowest-resource areas."

According to NBC News, Los Angeles County has now recorded at least 1,003,923 coronavirus infections and 13,741 deaths. Meanwhile, California has more than 2.9 million confirmed cases and roughly 33,000 deaths.

Some Latinos share their experience in LA

Amid the global pandemic, Latinos play very essential roles in the country. In Los Angeles, Latinos are highly exposed to the public making them at risk with the virus due to the nature of their jobs. Despite the stay-at-home order, they are left with no choice but to work to pay their rent and meet their daily needs.

Ismelda Reyes leaves the home she shares with her husband, adult daughter, and 93-year-old mother to clean rooms at a tony Santa Monica hotel across the city twice a week.

She takes one mask for the whole day but did not receive a temperature check or any other kind of health screening.

She shared that sometimes she encountered guests who are not wearing masks even as she sweats through her own.

"I am scared because of what you hear on the news with so many people dying. There is always that concern that I can get it at work," Reyes said.

William, a construction foreman in Los Angeles who asked his last name will not be used, said that he would prefer to follow the stay-at-home order to avoid getting the virus. However, he and his wife, who is unemployed, have two teenagers and house rent to pay.

"I would rather stay home. The problem is that I don't have enough money to keep me at home. I have bills to pay."

This forced him to continue to work amid the threat of the global pandemic. Latinos continue to work not anymore to be heroes but because they need money to pay their rent.