Latino Invisibility in the Pandemic.

Marina Del Rios, Sylvia Puente, Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez, Noreen Sugrue

Devastating effects of COVID-19 among Latinos have not been adequately emphasized or addressed by media, public health experts, researchers, or government officials. Moreover, the underreporting of the crisis' effect on Latinos and the undercounting of cases continues even as programs, initiatives, and policies are designed and implemented to mitigate the spread of the virus; to allocate resources to lessen the economic, educational, housing, and nutritional consequences of COVID; and to direct recovery planning. The invisibility and systematic neglect of the Latino population has contributed to Latino individuals' disproportionately high rates of infection, hospitalization, and death. Changing the COVID-19 narrative is necessary in order to ensure appropriate and equitable responses to the pandemic's effect on Latinos.