Could migrant farmworkers be more susceptible to the coronavirus? In a time where social distancing is encouraged and washing one’s hands is important to staying safe from the coronavirus, there is cause for concern for farmworkers that are exposed to less than ideal living and working situations. Most workers live in crowded housing, are transported to farms on crowded buses, have unsanitary working conditions and cannot work from home. If a worker does contract the virus, most farmworkers do not have health insurance and do not have the finances to pay for medication and treatment out of pocket.
Some states, including North Carolina, have made alterations to protect farmworkers. Some accommodations include separate housing for individuals suspected of having the virus and access to hand sanitizer. Is this enough to keep farmworkers healthy and safe? Read More.
Author: CHEJ Intern
Everyday the nation’s government and public health officials are making rapid decisions in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. To assist officials in their decision making and response to the virus, the NAACP has provided a resource that highlights 10 major impacts the virus could have on minority or low income communities. Read More.
Full Resource Guide
The following considerations and proposals can be found on the NAACP website.
10 Impacts of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak on Communities of Color
- Racism and stigmatization have increased, particularly towards the Asian and Asian American populations.
- Certain populations including immigrants, incarcerated people, people over 60 years old, people with disabilities, people with special health needs, and others are at an added risk of exposure and other implications.
- Frontline workers face tough choices between abstaining from work or risking exposure.
- Census and voting may be jeopardized as public outings continue to dwindle.
- Coronavirus remediation will result in increased exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals.
- Children and college students risk exposure in schools. If schools close, students may experience food or housing insecurities.
- There is a lack of accessibility to testing kits.
- Quarantine policies and practices are unfolding with a risk to human and civil rights.
- The coronavirus has already been used to justify increased militarization and more restrictive immigration policies and practices.
- Denial and misinformation on the crisis can worsen the outbreak.
10 Policy Recommendations to Temper the Impact of the Coronavirus on Communities of Color
- Shift the narrative surrounding the crisis: “The virus is the enemy, not the person who is infected.”
- Adopt policies that increase access to childcare, healthcare and humane, sanitary living conditions to at-risk, vulnerable populations.
- Advocate for the establishment of a paid leave system, strengthened OSHA standards, provision of training and safety gear, and routine testing for all workers.
- Ensure the data collection for the Census through online and telephone enumeration, extend voting hours, and minimize large gatherings.
- Significantly increase the stringency of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
- Advocate for equal standards of sanitation, safety, and health as well as education continuity, food assistance for families and the establishment of housing assistance through Stafford Act provisions.
- Advocate for funding for an effective health infrastructure, prioritization of testing for vulnerable groups/populations, and equitable distribution of limited hospital supplies.
- Establish and enforce a Quarantine Bill of Rights.
- Establish sanctuary sites, repeal the travel ban and repeal of the restrictions on the provision of healthcare to immigrants.
- Advance litigation for the willful misleading of the public for political gain while jeopardizing the wellbeing of the nation.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed the presence of “forever chemicals” in the drinking water on military bases. In a report released in February, the Pentagon revealed that over 600 military sites and surround communities could have drinking water contaminated by a “forever chemical,” including PFAS. As a part of the worst sites, the EWG examined the contamination at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, West Point Military Academy in New York and Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
Although none of the sites exceed the EPA’s health advisory level for PFAS at 70 parts per trillion, some sites do exceed the lower levels set for “forever chemical” by certain states. Read More.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has requested temporary regulatory relief for the oil and gas industry. In a letter sent to President Trump, API has asked for a suspension of certain regulatory requirements to assist in operations during a time of decreasing oil and gas prices and decreased staff. Some requirements under question include record keeping, non-essential inspections and audits, and trainings. Read More.
As the United States continues to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, cities across the country are seeing a general decrease in air pollution. While people are being asked to stay home to avoid exposure to the virus, cities including Los Angeles, Seattle and New York City are seeing fewer cars on the road. The decrease in traffic has led to a decrease in nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide from car emissions and an increase in rush hour speeds. Read More.
Five years ago, the public became aware of the lead water crisis present in Flint, Michigan. Today, the effects of the contamination and of the water cleanup are still being felt by the residents as they live off of bottled water. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician that first concluded that children were being exposed to high levels of lead from the drinking water, has found staggering results for the number of children that will have to have additional learning support. There is no safe level of lead exposure and Dr. Mona claims that nearly 14,000 kids under the age of 6 have been exposed to lead contamination. Read More.
Residents of a Miami trailer park were shocked when a new landowner decided to increase monthly rent prices by nearly 50%. Residents fought back against the rent spike; however, a new concern is on the horizon. With rising sea levels, homeowners that reside on the coast may move more inland. As the land off the coast becomes more valuable, concerns rise for residents of some of the last remaining affordable housing options. Read More.
Although the elderly are the most in danger of infection from the virus, those that have developed preexisting conditions due to constant exposure to pollutants cannot be forgotten. Individuals in these communities are commonly low-income and/or minority populations and have to travel great distances in order to receive medical services. Former Army Surgeon General William C. Gorgas explained that it is in times of stress and danger that we need to be our most brave and unselfish to those that are most vulnerable. Read More.
California has some of the strictest air quality standards in the country. These standards have come to the benefit of farmers when a decrease in ground ozone has resulted in an increase of $600 million in crop production a year. Read More.
Health experts are concerned that pollution may exacerbate the health effects of the coronavirus. Air pollution is known to be linked to lung and heart damage. The coronavirus may have a more serious impact on city dwellers and those that are in closer to proximity to pollution. Read More.