COVID-19 Through the Eyes of Your Latino Patients RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
By Camila A. CalderĂłn, MD
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Familia. In the Latino culture it is the absolute core of everything and anything we do. It is who we are. As Latinos in the United States, our households are often little versions of our countries — multiple generations gather around the table enjoying a taste of home while the sound of salsa music is drowned out by loud Spanglish and laughter. The custom of greeting each other with a hug and a kiss is something that has very much remained a part of our culture as we have assimilated into this country. As both a Latina and an emergency physician I visualize my 87-year-old abuelita being covered in COVID kisses every time she is greeted by my family. And each time my 92-year-old abuelito
enjoys his empanadas I envision COVID-filled droplets spraying with each bite. It is terrifying! What is equally alarming to me is the thought of how lonely my abuelos have been these past five months in social isolation, visiting with family only when they drop off groceries and from the safe distance of the driveway. The COVID pandemic has been hard on everyone, but there is clear data from the Texas Department of State Health Services that show it has especially impacted the Latino community, in terms of fatalities. Moreover, Hispanics are more concerned than Americans overall about the threat the COVID-19 outbreak poses to the health of the U.S. population and their personal health, wealth, and well-being.
Language barriers, the socioeconomic impact of not being able to work from home, the fear of seeking medical care due to being undocumented and our (literally physically) tight-knit culture have all contributed to alarming rates of COVID infections and hospitalizations in Latino communities across the country. I have shared in the frustration of the COVID non-believers, but I do not believe this group comprises most Latinos; rather, I believe they simply do not understand. While I plead with all my patients to wear masks and to practice social distancing, I have found that I have had to approach my Latino patients differently. Fortunately, and foremost, as their Spanish-speaking Latina physician, I already have a connection with them
