Five on Friday: "We must assure the health of farmworkers"

The weekend has arrived! For many of us, we can clear away the homeschool worksheets and dueling work-from-home laptops from the kitchen table and enjoy two days of rest. But many workers like farmworkers -- who, at long last, are recognized for their essential contributions to our society -- will continue to work as the spring crops ripen. We’ve been heartened to see an increase of attention on farmworker health. How will that translate into policy and societal change? Here are some news articles we shared this week about the health and well-being of migrant workers and other groups often left behind. We shared so many, that we decided to give a double issue of Five on Friday, with a triple dose of the weekly win!

Karen shared, “Undocumented Immigrants Working on Pandemic's Front Lines Fear for Health and Home.”

Kaethe shared a beautiful collection of historical photos from California: “Farmworkers in the Land of Plenty.”

Candace shared “Border Wall Work Speeds Up, Igniting Contagion Fears.” She also shared the BBC radio inquiry, “Coronavirus: What Can the World Learn from South Korea?”

Amy recommends the op-ed from our colleagues in Monterey County: “Guest opinion: We must assure the health of farmworkers”

Alma shared, in Spanish: “Trabajadores del campo: entre el miedo y la necesidad.” She also shared, “COVID-19 Resources For Undocumented Californians” from the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance.

A third recommendation from Alma, on a topic that has come up a few times this week: OSHA’s Temporary Enforcement Guidance - Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Triple Weekly Win: Kaethe shared, “Portugal to treat migrants as residents during coronavirus crisis,” a great public health strategy that recognizes that, if one segment of society is left without health access, then we are all at risk. And our community health centers have been shifting gears to fill in that gap, here in the US: Candace shared, “Under Financial Strain, Community Health Centers Ramp Up For Coronavirus Response.” Of course, Community Health Workers are now being recognized as critical in the fight against the spread worldwide. Alma shared, “ Community Health Workers Will Be the Main Defense in Rural Uganda Against Coronavirus.”

Have a safe and healthy early spring weekend.

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