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I N F O R M AT I O N
B U L L E T I N
Voice of the Fields California
May 2020
FREE
Keeping Up With COVID-19
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ALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY in the United States in terms of coronavirus prevention and management. Despite growing numbers across the country, California’s spread rate declined significantly after the statewide stayat-home order went into effect on March 19, 2020.
While the state is doing well to reduce the spread of the virus, California is home to 40 million people and still holds some of the nation’s highest rates of COVID-19. Scientists predict that California will reach its peak of COVID-19 cases towards the end of April
and beginning of May, reinforcing the need to stay home, avoid outings, and practice social distancing when going grocery shopping or outdoors. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that California’s Disaster Relief Fund will include an economic stimulus
2020 Census
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IVEN THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER IN CALIFORNIA, 2020 Census representatives will no longer conduct in-person counting procedures. Instead, people can fill out the Census form in one of three ways: 1. Online: my2020census.gov **To access the webpage in Spanish, simply click the language drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner and click “Español” 2. By Phone: English: (844) 330-2020 Spanish: (844) 468-2020 3. By Mail: Census forms are mailed to every household with instructions on how to fill out and return the form. However, you can choose to respond online or by phone instead, even if your household has already received a form. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail until October 31st. Remember that the Census is an opportunity for you and your family to be counted in your community. That means adequate funding for your city and state, enough government officials to represent your values in Congress, and resources for public services that matter most in your neighborhood like schools and hospitals. It’s not only in your best interest to complete the Census, it’s the law.
Volume 30, Number 5 package for undocumented immigrants, and others who are affected by coronavirus but were not included in the federal governments’ recent stimulus package. Undocumented adults will receive onetime payments of $500 and up to $1,000 per household. Individuals can start applying for support beginning in May.
Farmworkers & Facemasks Facemask shortages are felt by more than just the healthcare community in response to coronavirus. As people continue buying up facemasks at unprecedented rates and clearing out retail stocks, many industries are unable to purchase the facemasks needed for workers, notably in the farm-working community. Agricultural workers not only need access to facemasks to combat the spread of COVID-19 as they perform job duties in close quarters, but also to decrease the likelihood of inhaling toxic pesticides and dust that cause serious respiratory issues. As California fast approaches fungicide and wildfire season, concerns over facemask access continue to rise. Guadalupe Sandoval, executive director for the Farm Labor Contractors Association in Sacramento expressed concern that the facemask shortage may “push growers to reconsider what types of fungicides they use” in order to avoid toxic exposure. It also raises concern over farmworkers using bandanas Continued on page 2