COVID-19 in My Area: Chelsea, MA

By Dan L. Nguyen, Physics Major, 2024

As of April 22, 2020, Chelsea, Massachusetts, reported an alarming infection rate of 3,841 per 100,000 cases of COVID-19.1 I live in Chelsea, a densely populated town located a bridge away from Boston. With a population density three times higher than Boston, COVID-19 case counts quickly increased.2 Nearly half of the Chelsea population is foreign-born, most of whom were immigrants or refugees from Central America.3 It is also one of the most impoverished communities in Massachusetts, with a per capita income of $20,617 and 24% of the population living under the federal poverty line.3 In the commentary Disproportionate Impact of Covid-19 on Communities of Color, Dr. Sequist (a primary care doctor at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital who studies healthcare in Chelsea and the Navajo community) detailed the following main factors why the pandemic had been especially disastrous for underserved neighborhoods: crowded living and workplaces, economic distress, underlying health issues, and limited healthcare access.4 These elements are not unique to Chelsea as they describe many working-class cities that became coronavirus epicenters. I hope this article can bring attention to the challenges the people of Chelsea have endured and their resilience in the face of adversity.

Crowded homes and workplaces

While social distancing is crucial to reduce infection rates, it is not possible for many Chelsea residents. People who live in crowded apartments or multigenerational households are put in dire situations if they test positive for COVID-19. The New York Times reported on heartbreaking incidences of people not having a place to quarantine safely: a young mother who disclosed her test result to her roommates was asked to leave; a man reported to have slept in his car to prevent infecting people at home; a restaurant manager who tested positive, but there was no room in her cramped living space for her to safely quarantine from family.1 The unsanitary living conditions that Chelsea residents endured stunned a Harvard researcher, who spent a summer following housing inspectors in Chelsea. She told the New York Times,

‘‘ I didn’t think conditions like this were happening in the 21st century. It reminded me of stories I heard of the late 1800s, at the beginning of sanitary reform, at the beginning of urbanization.

Heavy reliance on public transportation and not having the luxury of remote working options meant high exposure to the virus is the reality of many workers. City Manager Tom Ambrosino told WBUR, “They are crowded at home, at work, and on the way to work.”5 American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts reported that 80% of Chelsea’s working population are classified as essential workers.2 This means the average resident who must work throughout the shutdown is at high risk for infection due to crowded work settings where there are minimal protection supplies. As a result, they can put their family members, especially older seniors, at increased risk for infection.

Economic distress

As the national unemployment rate surged, the shutdown left many residents without jobs or income. In a news article from Mass General Hospital (MGH), Ronald Fishman, the community coordinator at the Healthy Chelsea Coalition, reported a staggering unemployment rate of 24% in Chelsea, which peaked in October 2020 and is one of the highest rates in the country.6

MGH identifies “job insecurity” as one of the three most significant challenges for this particular community. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reported the socioeconomic effects on Latinx populations aggregated by the shutdown, detailing devastating job losses among Latinx workers, particularly women. The EPI stated, “As of April, the Latinx unemployment rate was 18.9%, compared with a white unemployment rate of 14.2%”.7 An important aspect the article demonstrates is the job loss between different industries. Many Chelsea residents work in the foodservice and hospitality industry, jobs for which are most likely to disappear during a shutdown.6 The leisure and hospitality industry, along with retail trade, are the two sectors experiencing the most considerable jobless rate, both of which Latinx women are heavily represented in.7 Furthermore, relief is less accessible for Latinxowned small businesses, despite being more likely to be impacted by shutdown than white-owned businesses.7 A survey showed that only a few Black and Latinx-owned businesses received loans during the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).7 Specifically, WBUR reported, “A survey by the nonprofit East Boston Main Streets found that among 105 Latino-owned businesses, just five had been awarded a loan under the first round of PPP”.8 These businesses have one thing in common: they do not have a pre-existing relationship with a lender who would prioritize their claim.7

Small businesses in downtown Chelsea.

Neither financial relief nor support programs are widely accessible. City Manager Tom Ambrosino shared the pressing concern for the undocumented population on the WBUR Here and Now podcast. Undocumented workers, many of whom work in the most vulnerable industries, are ineligible for government benefits. If they become unemployed, they will not have an income.5 In April 2020, city officials offered 157 hotel rooms in a nearby city in the hope of providing a safe place for individuals to quarantine if they tested positive, but only ten people signed up.1 Ambrosino believes the issue is because these programs “raise concerns that [anything that involves the government] is the first step toward deportation.”5

Underlying health issues

Dr. Sequitis noted a higher prevalence of comorbidities — including diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease — contributing to poor clinical outcomes in working-class communities.4 He emphasized how “food swamps”, or areas with readily available unwholesome foods (e.g., fast food) that are far away from grocery stores, contribute to higher rates of obesity and chronic illnesses.4 During these times, food banks and community programs like Healthy Chelsea play a critical role. Local organizations, such as Feeding Chelsea, take issues with food insecurity into their own hands. They offer “weekly distributions of groceries, diapers, and other household and personal necessities to more than 3,000 community members each week.”9

A history of city developments created polluted inner cities for the working class, as is the case with Chelsea. Its proximity to Boston meant that Chelsea is one significant contributing factor. Exposure to contaminated air from vehicles on the highway contributes to severe health issues. Additionally, the industrial environment with “massive fuel tanks, mountains of road salt, airport parking lots, industrial facilities, and a busy produce center” put nearby Chelsea residents at a higher risk of preexisting health conditions.10

Limited healthcare access

Another pressing issue this pandemic brought to light is the lack of insurance among low-income people of color populations. The EPI reported that “Latinx workers are over three times as likely to be uninsured as white workers,” and undocumented workers being those who are most likely to be uninsured.7 Without insurance, people are much more likely to forgo treatments, get tested, and are more likely to wait until a health condition becomes severe to seek treatment. For those who are able to receive medical treatment,

Tobin Bridge Highway near residential areas.

Photo courtesy of MassDOT.

residents experienced long-term exposure to air pollution. Exposure to air pollution “increases the risk of heart and respiratory disease, heart attacks, asthma attacks, bronchitis, and lung cancer,”7 which in turn increase risks for COVID-19-related complications. The Tobin Bridge that connects Chelsea with Boston language barriers pose a problem for patients with limited English, as it can cause ineffective communication. Given the predominantly immigrant demographics of Chelsea, cultural incompetency and language barriers are common issues. Dr. Sequitis reported that “Across Mass General Brigham, 35% of

Chelsea Collaborative Inc.

Photo courtesy of Boston Globe.

patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection do not speak English as a primary language.”4 Dr. Sequitis believes that equitable healthcare means meeting every patients’ needs, including providing reliable interpreting services.

However, leadership from major MA hospitals and local organizations can make significant differences in the residents’ life during these difficult times. Community care centers at Chelsea, like Beth Israel and MGH, have made testing free of charge. MGH Chelsea opened a new Respiratory Infection Clinic to evaluate respiratory symptoms and offer care regardless of health insurance or immigration status.6 Local leadership such as La Colaborativa, an organization created with the mission of empowering Latinx immigrants, have made great strides during this time. The organization gives solutions to critical issues like housing emergencies, running a bilingual community hotline where residents can be connected to resources, creating jobs, and distributing more than $500,000 directly to families in need with One Chelsea Fund.9

Affects on Students

This pandemic affected students like myself in different ways. As school shifted to remote instruction, our education was the most at stake. Abraham, a recent graduate of Chelsea High, reflected on his last months of online high school, “Yes, my school attempted remote instructions at first, but really it wasn’t efficient.” He added, “Attendance is bad, students have complained about how they aren’t learning as well, anxiety and stress has risen.” David, a freshman at Chelsea High, finds it difficult to make friends or find a support network through online schooling after moving from a different state. As for myself, my high school years abruptly ended in March. Starting out college online is something I would have never guessed I would have to do. Like many students, I also have a hard time finding friends with online school.

As vaccine development progresses, the new year of 2021 promises new hope. Although a sense of normality may return as restrictions are lifted, failure to resolve social inequities in communities like Chelsea will take more than a vaccine to recover from.

[1] Ellen, B. (2020). In a Crowded City, Leaders Struggle to Separate the Sick From the Well. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/25/us/ coronavirus-chelsea-massachusetts.html

[2] Nik, D. (2020). Why Chelsea has been so hard hit by coronavirus | Boston.com. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2020/04/10/ chelsea-massachusetts-coronavirus

[3] Who We Are – Healthy Chelsea. (2020). Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://healthychelsea.org/who-weare/

[4] Sequist, T. (2020). The Disproportionate Impact of Covid-19 on Communities of Color | Catalyst non-issue content. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://catalyst.nejm.org/ doi/full/10.1056/CAT.20.0370

[5] WBUR. (2020). How COVID-19 Swept Through A Dense Massachusetts City [Radio]. Retrieved from https://www. wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/05/07/chelsea-mass-coronavirus [6] Hospital, M. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Underserved Communities: Chelsea, MA and Healthy Chelsea. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.massgeneral. org/news/coronavirus/covid-19-impact-underservedcommunities-part-1

[7] Gould, E., Perez, D., & Wilson, V. (2020). Latinx workers— particularly women—face devastating job losses in the COVID-19 recession. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.epi.org/publication/latinx-workers-covid/ [8] Rios, S., & Zea, T. (2020). Mom-And-Pop Stores In Hard Hit

Chelsea And Eastie Left Wondering: Where’s The Support? [Radio]. Boston: WBUR. Retrieved from https://www.wbur. org/bostonomix/2020/05/12/small-businesses-chelsea-eastboston-coronavirus ppp

[9] La Colaborativa (2020). Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.la-colaborativa.org/covid19 [10] Abraham, Y. (2020). In Chelsea, the deadly consequences of air pollution - The Boston Globe. Retrieved 29 November 2020, from https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/29/metro/ chelsea-deadly-consequences-dirty-air/