Currently, one person dies every 10 minutes in Los Angeles County from COVID-19, however, many of these deaths could be prevented by following public health guidelines, as they are the only effective tools at this time.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, as of yesterday, 148 new deaths and 13,678 new cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed, representing the second consecutive day in which the highest number of new deaths from the virus has been surpassed.
In a statement, the county explained that there are currently 6,499 people with COVID-19 hospitalized, while 20 percent of them are in the intensive care unit (ICU), which also represents a new historical maximum.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the people of Los Angeles County who have lost a loved one to COVID-19. It is heartbreaking to report that nearly 150 more residents died from this disease, leaving many families to grieve this holiday season," said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
"We need all residents to follow the security measures to stop this increase. This means staying home and limiting all non-essential activities. When you must leave your home, always wear a mask, stay away from others and wash your hands often," he added.
It is worth mentioning that, of the 148 new deaths reported, 51 people were over 80 years old; 45 were between 65 and 79 years old; 28 people were between 50 and 64 years old; 11 people were between 30 and 49 years old and one person who died was between 18 and 29 years old.
In the last week, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 increased by more than 1,600 people; while, to date, 677,299 positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified in all areas of the county and a total of 9,299 deaths.
In addition, the Public Health Department reported two additional cases of multi-systemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), bringing the total number of cases in the county to 51 children, including one child death. Latino children account for nearly 73 percent of the reported cases.
All 51 children with MIS-C in Los Angeles County were hospitalized and nearly 50 percent were treated in the ICU. Of the children with MIS-C, 31 percent were under age 5, 38 percent were between 5 and 11, and 31 percent were between 12 and 20.
It should be noted that MIS-C is an inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 and symptoms include fever that does not go away and swollen body parts such as heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.
After a difficult year in many respects, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden gave their first Christmas speech as a presidential family, addressing all citizens of the country with hope as their central theme.
"Merry Christmas and happy holidays," was the first thing the president-elect said during the two-minute-and-four-second video message.
"Jill and I wish you and your family peace, joy, health and happiness this season. But we know that for many of you in our nation this has been a very difficult year. And this season of hope reminds us of our common humanity and what we are called to do for each other," said Democrat Joe Biden.
He added that many are struggling to find work, literally putting food on the table and paying rent or mortgage. "We are reminded that we are on this Earth to care for each other, to give what we can and to be a source of help and hope to friends and strangers alike.
The country's next first lady, Jill Biden, recalled that many families are facing their first Christmas after losing a loved one. "Joe and I know that pain. And we know how, in times of grief, one kind word can mean so much," she said.
He added that this is also a season of gratitude, so he thanked the frontline and essential workers who have put their lives on the line for everyone, and for the scientists and researchers who worked to deliver vaccines.
He also stressed that his thoughts are with the military service members who are far from home and on the loved ones who miss them. "Our family knows your sacrifice and our heart is with you.
Joe Biden recalled that normally they receive 20 to 25 people for dinner on Christmas Eve, but not this year, because due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of families have had to remain separated in order not to catch the virus.
"We're going to miss our family, but it's what we have to do to keep our family safe. We hope that this year you will consider limiting travel and the size of family gatherings," he said.
In this regard, Jill said that "even though our celebrations are dimming, we know that this will not be forever, and brighter days will soon come.
"On this holy day, we remember that love and joy can be shared across the greatest distances. We celebrate separately, but not alone, and look forward to next year when we can come together with a renewed appreciation for the people and traditions we love," he concluded.
After an explosion occurred this Friday morning in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, local and federal police have launched an investigation, which they believe was an "intentional act.
Three people were injured in the blast and were transported to nearby hospitals, although none are in critical condition, police spokesman Don Aaron said at a news conference.
He added that the Department's Hazardous Devices Unit was headed downtown in response to a call about a suspicious vehicle when there was a simultaneous related explosion. "We believe the explosion was an intentional act."
The Nashville Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said in a statement that it activated a response to the intentional bombing incident in downtown Nashville just after 6:30 a.m. locally on Friday, December 25, 2020.
The explosion took place at 166 Second Avenue North, which caused extensive damage, officials said. They also said the incident was vehicle-related.
For his part, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said that at 6:32 a.m. on Christmas morning, the city's Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene of an explosion on 2nd Ave, approximately one block north of Broadway.
Through his Twitter account, he noted that the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the source of the explosion came from a vehicle.
"The cause of the explosion is under investigation with the help of federal authorities. The Police Department will share updates as they become available, and will continue to restrict traffic in the area. Keep Nashville safe. Thanks to our emergency personnel for their quick response," he said.
On the Metropolitan Police Department's Twitter account, it is noted that the canine team is doing protective sweeps in the city center, so traffic is restricted.
According to local media, after the explosion occurred, flames and black smoke were observed in the center of the city, which, it should be noted, is a center of ample tourist activity, with restaurants, bars and an establishment for listening to music.
Representatives from the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), the Nashville Fire Department, the Mayor's office, and the Metropolitan Police Department, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will use the EOC to coordinate ongoing investigation and response operations.
Faced with the situation, authorities asked residents to call 911 in case of emergency.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused a large number of offices of Silicon Valley technology companies to be empty, as well as the rising costs of living in California, are some of the reasons why several companies have begun the exodus from this region.
Although 1938, when Hewlett-Packard was founded outside San Francisco, is considered the beginning of Silicon Valley, the truth is that today there is greater discontent about the high cost of living, the low availability of housing, as well as high levels of crime.
Although it has been mentioned that some of the main competitors in this bay area could be Los Angeles or New York, the state of Texas seems to be attracting the interest of some technology firms, either the city of Houston or in Silicon Hills, outside Austin.
Since 2013 there is talk of strong growth in these areas, with many jobs in the sector commonly known as STEM -Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics-, as well as for its successful model of exporting medical services thanks to the Texas Medical Center cluster.
The state has good universities, such as Rice in Houston and the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a tradition of technology companies, as Texas Instrument was founded in Dallas in 1941, just two years after Hewlett-Packard in San Francisco.
Exodus begins
In early December, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which brings together the software and business services activities after the Hewlett-Packard division in 2015, announced that it will move its offices to Houston, which is considered a hard blow in the history of Silicon Valley.
Antonio Neri, president and CEO of the firm, said they have "listened to the team members, who have said they want to spend less time in a physical workplace. And in response to this new future of work we have re-evaluated our real estate strategy.
Their new facility will be a 568,000-square-foot campus in Springwoods Village, north of Houston, which will include a gym and outdoor yoga areas. While the company will maintain an area of innovation in San Jose, it will make Houston its business and employment center.
This announcement was joined by Elon Musk, who, on December 10, announced that he had left his Silicon Valley residence and moved to the state of Texas, due to the "complacency" that has recently taken over the mecca of innovation and technology in the United States.
He also announced his intention to move Tesla Motors' headquarters either to Nevada, where it has a battery factory, or to Texas, where it operates SpaceX.
Another firm that announced its intention to move a few days ago is Oracle, which after more than forty years in Silicon Valley, said it will move its headquarters from Redwood City to the town of Austin, a fledgling technology hub that is forming in the southern United States.
In a statement the firm explains that "we believe that these movements position us better to grow and give our staff more flexibility about where and how they work". Depending on their position, many employees will be able to choose which office they want to work in.
In addition to these announcements, the managers of Dropbox and Splunk, Andrew Houston and Douglas Merrit, respectively, have moved to Austin, as has the venture capitalist and co-founder of Palantir, Joe Lonsdale, among others.
People are also leaving the state
According to data from the U.S. Postal Service, between March and November of this year about 90,000 citizens of San Francisco reported a change of address outside the city, most of them to Florida, Nevada and Colorado.
According to the census estimate, the city had 881,500 inhabitants the previous year, so if this loss is confirmed, it would translate into a reduction in population of more than 10 percent, which has not been compensated for by the arrival of new residents.
The real estate portal Zillow mentions that the average price of a house can be around 600 thousand dollars in California, although in cities like Palo Alto or Cupertino, where Apple is based, the price is well over two million dollars.
While data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, living in California is more expensive than in most U.S. entities, with goods and services costing 15.4 percent more than the national average.
Gavin Newsom on Tuesday appointed Alex Padilla to be the next U.S. senator from the state of California to fill the vacancy of Kamala Harris, who was elected vice president and will take office on January 20.
In a statement, the governor's office noted that Padilla is the current secretary of state of California; formerly a Los Angeles city councilman and state senator, he is a national leader in the fight to expand voting rights.
He added that Alex Padilla became the first Latino to represent the state of California in the upper house of the U.S. Congress, and also the first southern citizen to join the Senate in almost three decades.
"Son of Mexican immigrants, cook and house cleaner, Alex Padilla made his way from humble beginnings to the halls of MIT, Los Angeles City Hall and the state Senate, and has become a national advocate for voting rights as secretary of state," the governor said.
"Through his tenacity, integrity, intelligence and courage, California is winning a proven fighter who will be a fierce ally in D.C., elevating the values of our state and securing the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic. He will be a senator for all Californians," added Newsom.
For his part, Alex Padilla said he felt honored by the trust placed in him by Governor Newsom, and that he intends to work every day to honor that trust and meet all Californians.
"From those struggling to make ends meet, to small businesses struggling to keep their doors open, to health care workers seeking relief, please know that I am going to the Senate to fight for you," the California secretary of state said.
Notably, Padilla, 47, was the favorite candidate in a field crowded with possibilities for completing the remainder of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' term, who plans to leave her Senate seat in January, before Inauguration Day, January 20.
Although senators are traditionally elected by voters at the polls, in this case it was the state governor who appointed Harris' replacement, whose term in the upper house runs until 2022.
For years, California's Central Valley has been the site of a large number of evictions, as the wage disparity compared to other areas is wide and, since March to date, has added a number of issues stemming from COVID-19, such as unemployment.
As a result, about 300,000 people could soon lose their homes, based on initial jobless claims and the proportion of workers in businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic who are renting and living in homes where there are no other sources of income, said Janine Nkosi, regional adviser for Faith in the Valley.
"If we don't have strong, robust protection so people can stay in their homes, if there's no help for mortgages and utilities and so on, we're making an estimate that 100,000 homes in the Central Valley are being vulnerable to eviction," he said.
During the panel "High eviction rates in California-Central Valley tenants bet on housing rights."by Ethnic Media ServicesThe damage goes beyond just housing, she said, because the future of families is at stake.
"Let's be clear, these are homes, not people, it's not just one person, we're talking about families, we're talking about if there are three - people - per family, close to 300,000 people in our community, in these counties, are in a vulnerable position and are at risk of being evicted and being kicked out of their homes," he said.
He added that a recent survey conducted by the organization on the economic and housing impacts of COVID-19 found that 55 percent of residents who responded to the survey were unclear about how they would pay their rent.
The high incidence of evictions in the Central Valley is growing as businesses and enterprises close due to the number of COVID-19 positive cases and deaths from complications of the disease, making affordable housing increasingly unaffordable.
To this, the expert added that there is a great disparity in legal representation for those who decide to go to court for unjustified evictions, cases that, in a matter of minutes, are decided without a thorough review.
"For three months, we systematically observed and documented what the process is that you go through when a family member goes to court. It literally happens in minutes, it's like a merry-go-round, decisions are made in minutes, people are becoming homeless," he explained.
Nkosi referred that, in 2019, a lawyer was in charge of 643 cases on the plaintiff side; while, in the case of tenants, only six of them had an advocate.
"Across all counties, 73 percent of property owners had lawyers; renters, less than 1.0 percent. This is what happens across the country: less than 10 percent of tenants have lawyers," he said.
He noted that even in the case of those who commit a minor offence, they have the right to legal representation; however, this does not happen in the case of those who are evicted..
"Everyone should have the right to a lawyer; someone who can represent them if they find themselves in any kind of court. The courts should protect us, as should the laws, but if the person doesn't have access to a lawyer, then the law is pretty much worthless," he said.
And, he noted, California's eviction protections expire on Jan. 31, so a first solution for Californians would be to stop evictions and all foreclosures for past due rent and mortgage during and after the COVID-19 state of health emergency.
It also detailed eliminating the debt of affected tenants and providing mortgage relief, or cancellation of their debts; compensating small landlords and nonprofit organizations that need help keeping tenants housed.
Given this situation, he said it is necessary that AB15 and AB16 be tested in Congress to help thousands of families whose lives are about to change drastically, especially in a health situation as difficult as the one being experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fresno resident and mother of six, Jessica Ramirez, was evicted without notice: her lease had expired. She was given no chance to renew and was simply thrown out with her children, a situation that led her to live in her car for a long time, until she turned to Faith in the Valley.
In giving her testimony, she stressed that it is of utmost importance to help all those who today find themselves in a difficult situation to pay rent. "I advocate for the community and ask for help because I know that an eviction can change people's lives. This happened to me, I used all possible resources, but no one could help me.
She noted that the eviction will remain on her record for seven years, which will make it much more difficult for her to get a place to live with her children.
"A mother or father should not have to choose between housing or the health of their children. We are in a time of emergency where we have to help each other. Many people needed assistance before the COVID-19 contingency and now, with this crisis, people need more support. Many people have lost their jobs, prices of goods keep rising and they can't even buy essentials or food, they can't even pay their bills. If someone can help, why not do it," she said.
For senior Claude Bailey, a Stockton resident, things have not been easy. She lived in an apartment for more than 20 years and always paid on time, until suddenly she was told she had to fill out paperwork and then was told she no longer qualified to rent and was given a very short time to move out.
After his eviction, Claude moved into housing where he was treated very badly and was constantly watched, so he also decided to leave. After that, he lived for 10 months in his car.
"It was a nightmare," he said, because every time he tried to sleep, police would run him out of parking lots, thugs would try to scare him, they would steal his car parts, and he even lost weight because there wasn't even a bathroom he could go to because they wouldn't let him or would try to charge him for its use.
"I've seen people ... black women, white women, Mexican women, sleeping and covering themselves with cardboard. These are older people on the street who have worked hard to raise their families, who have built this country, who have paid their taxes, and now they're on the street," she explained.
He said he was a model citizen who paid his taxes, didn't drink, smoke or do drugs, and was even a member of a church; however, he said, "this can happen to anyone, not just me. Life is a circle; sometimes you're on top and the next you're on the ground, with nothing. You can only understand it when you've lived it.
It is worth noting that, until before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Valley had the second highest economic growth in the state, but also had the highest unemployment rate, the second highest rate of multiple households in a dwelling, and the third lowest homeownership rate.
This was pointed out by Edward Orozco Flores, associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Merced, who added that in the Central Valley, approximately one in four workers have lost their jobs, while almost half of all households have had some loss of employment or their income has been reduced.
In that sense, he explained that people spend 30 percent of their income on rent; however, there are those who pay 50 percent of what they receive, a situation that, in most cases, makes the housing situation unsustainable in one of the places hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in California.
"In the Central Valley, workers are at such a low level of income that it becomes a problem, especially during the pandemic because federal policies that protect property owners are not extended to tenants. We have to renew this policy, otherwise we will witness massive evictions in the coming months," he said.
After having the best season of his career in the top circuit of motorsport, the Jalisco native managed to find a place on the grid for next season, but not in any team, but in one of those that will compete for the constructors' championship.
Weeks ago, the Racing Point team had announced the withdrawal of the Mexican to incorporate the former champion Sebastian Vettel and, after that, speculation began to speculate about the departure of Alex Albon in the second place of the "Bulls" to make way for the winner of this year's Grand Prix in Sakhir.
In an interview with the media, Perez said that there were talks for his arrival to the red and blue team, but nothing was defined. In addition, he said that if he did not close his pass, he would take a sabbatical year and would not compete with anyone else.
On December 17, the Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reported that it was a fact the incorporation of "Checo" to Max Verstappen, news that the social networks of the second force in F1 confirmed this morning.
With the arrival of Perez, the fourth-highest points-scoring driver in 2020, Red Bull is preparing a full arsenal to compete for another title against the unstoppable Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Alex Albon will remain with the team as a test and reserve driver. In the words of team principal Christian Horner, "we looked hard at every piece of information and result to come to the conclusion that Sergio is the right driver to partner with Max in 2021".
The Spaniard said he has been waiting for this opportunity all his life and wants to race for podiums at every circuit next year. "I am incredibly grateful to Red Bull for giving me the opportunity to race for Red Bull Racing in 2021. The opportunity to race for a championship contending team is something I've been waiting for since I joined Formula 1 and it will be.
The Mexican is expected to perform as well or better than he did in 2020 and, why not, win the Mexican Grand Prix in October 2021.
San Mateo County recently completed the second phase of its digital inclusion project and expanded its SMC public Wi-Fi network in the Woodland Park apartment community located in the Westside neighborhood of East Palo Alto.
The project, which will provide free county Internet access to more than 1,800 affordable, rent-controlled apartment units where more than 4,000 residents live, is being done in partnership with the property owner, Sand Hill Property Company.
Among the beneficiaries are 223 K-12 students from Ravenswood City Elementary, Belmont Redwood Shores, Las Lomitas Elementary, Redwood City Elementary and Sequoia Union High public school districts.
As part of the County's public Wi-Fi network expansion, nearly 70 spots have been installed in the Woodland Park community to maximize the number of students, families and local community members who will be able to securely learn and access remotely.
The county said in a statement that since its launch in 2014, San Mateo has been connecting people to the Internet through its free SMC public Wi-Fi network at more than 100 locations, including parks, community centers and public spaces throughout the county.
The document also stated that this latest expansion is part of the SMC Public Wi-Fi Project's goals to provide connectivity to underserved communities, support educational opportunities for students, stimulate local economic development and provide greater access to county services.
"SMC Public Wi-Fi is a central component to connecting students and residents who rely on online access for remote education or work. Our experience over the past five years in building and operating this network has allowed us to rapidly expand SMC Public Wi-Fi in response to urgent community needs," said Jon Walton, the county's chief information officer.
The importance of Internet access was amplified by the "stay-at-home" mandates that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, for while many residents were able to work or learn from home, there were those who were unable to do so because they lacked broadband service at home.
"Internet access is essential for students to have a fair chance at an education," said Gina Sudaria, superintendent of the Ravenswood City School District.
"Without access to online learning and other resources, these at-risk residents will quickly fall behind in their education and in their lives," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Warren Slocum, who represents the Fourth District.
The expansion of SMC's public Wi-Fi network is part of a digital inclusion pilot initiative created in March 2020 to connect county students in four school districts to engage in online learning by the 2020-2021 school year.
The project was funded with part of the $6.3 million Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) grant to provide students in four school districts with Internet access for online learning.
The first phase of the Digital Inclusion initiative, launched in August 2020, funded broadband service subscriptions for a total of 650 qualified students in the Ravenswood City School District and La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District.
If your plan was to go and buy all your gifts shortly before the date indicated and now you won't be able to do so because many shops will be closed or restricted and you'll probably have to stand in long queues to get in. Better buy online and buy locally.
Local small businesses enrich the community and strengthen the structures of the social fabric. First, they provide opportunities for asset ownership. When people own property, they develop the habit of thinking ahead and are more interested in local issues.
Those who do not have property can be surrounded by examples of small local entrepreneurs and thus be inspired to become owners themselves and to commit themselves to the community as well.
Large chains and department stores reduce these ownership opportunities. Small local businesses also help cultivate trust among citizens, while large chains and online retailers such as Amazon tend to encourage anonymity.
Trust between citizens is a vital part of a healthy community and is built through reciprocal relationships that are fostered in places like local businesses, where individuals meet and exchange goods and services. In regular face-to-face interactions, trust is built, and trust helps to nurture neighborhood and communality.
Instead of jumping on the Prime Day bandwagon and sending your dollars to Amazon, whose owner Jeff Bezos already has about $184.8 billion, you better
Consider buying local products.
A truly radical act would help local businesses and, in the process, strengthen the local communities in which we live.
Where and from whom to buy in San Mateo?
Cloud Soap
Ana Tobar is Salvadoran and has a small business where she makes handmade organic glycerin-based soaps, souvenirs and more.
You can find his lavender-scented packages including teddy bear towel on his Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nubesoap/?ref=page_internal
Grisel Huitron is from Mexico City. She is a mother of 4 children and supports her sister in taking care of her two girls while she works. Her husband is at home since he lost his job due to the pandemic.
In the mornings he sold take-out and home cooked food such as enchiladas, pozole, chicharrón en salsa verde, empanizafas breasts, beans, rice, salads, golden tacos, pambazos; he changes the menu daily; and on the weekends he makes desserts such as figure jellies and other delicacies.
For this season he's making chocobombs. Delicious chocolate balls filled with chocolates that, on contact with warm milk, melt and leave the marshmallows floating.
Sonia Martinez arrived in the Bay Area from El Salvador 16 years ago. She dedicated many years to the home and to the care of her 3 children who live with her and her husband, who is dedicated to laying wood floors. With the pandemic, her husband's business was severely affected so they had no choice but to innovate.
Now the family depends, in large part, on the sales of Sonia who makes food to order, decorations for birthday parties, anniversaries or weddings.
He learned to cook the well-known cake in El Salvador called Strawberry Cardinal that has a meringue base because he could not find anything like it in the area.
However, if you need something to give as a present this Christmas, Sonia also makes T-shirts to order for the design you ask for.
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniadecoparty/
Yessi's Cake Creations
Yessi was born in Los Angeles to Latin American parents: half Salvadorian, half Mexican. She says she learned to make cakes "at YouTube University.
She made her first cake when she was 19 years old at her sister's house when she arrived at a birthday party and was invited to bake the cake. From then on, during the day she worked in a bank and at night she made cakes. Since she has lived in Redwood City, she has dedicated herself exclusively to baking cakes. Now with the pandemic, she and her partner are completely dependent on the income from Yessi's Cake Creations.
This season, to support others he reduced his prices substantially and supports the organization Giving Fruits that give food to the homeless. She bakes them small cakes in the hope of brightening up their day.
Organizing the Latino community living in the U.S. is key to demanding greater protection and prevention from authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Inés María Quiñones Ortiz, a member of the San José County Neighborhood Defense Committee.
According to Inés Quiñones, the number of infected people has increased in San Jose County, since, to date, it is estimated that there are more than 51,000 people infected, of which 54.4 percent belong to the Latino community.
"In our experience, we know that most of the Latino people who have been infected are Mexicans, which is why we want to have a meeting with the Mexican consulate, to see if they can give us more specifics," he said.
In that sense, he mentioned that they require more information about affected Mexicans, if the people who have died have moved to Mexico and if they are taking other measures to help Mexicans, as stated by the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
"We are going through that process, which is very bureaucratic, so that we can work with each other to protect people. To make them aware that we have to protect ourselves. We're going to do that follow-up according to their protocol, and if we don't succeed we're going to insist, because that data is necessary," he added.
He also added that many times people do not go to the places where they do COVID-19 tests out of fear, due to their immigration status, "and if that is happening we want to know if the Consulate is offering other types of help so that they can take these types of tests.
On the other hand, Inés Quiñones commented that they have also noticed that the people who care for the elderly have complained because not only the elderly are dying, but they are also dying because they don't have enough equipment to protect themselves.
As such, he explained that since the authorities are not doing their part to protect and prevent contagions among the Latino population, they had to take to the streets to tell people through informative posters about the importance of following health protocols.
Among them is keeping an appropriate distance from others, because when people stay within 6 feet of each other then there is less risk that saliva spray from talking, coughing or sneezing can spread to others.
Another measure to prevent contagion is the use of masks, however, he has seen that many people when they leave work remove them and get into their car or take other people, so the protocols are no longer useful and the virus spreads.
"In Santa Clara, the most infected people are those between 19 and 40 years old, so we are seeing that young people are the ones who are getting infected the most. They are our children and that is dangerous because they are the future of our communities," he said.
On top of that, there are Christmas and New Year's celebrations coming up, and the hospitals are already overcrowded, which means there won't be enough space or equipment to care for all the people who need it.
"The organization that comes from the community is the one that is going to make the change. When we criticized that there were not enough places to do exams, the authorities began to mobilize. The organization of the people is the key to get the authorities to mobilize," he said.
In that sense, he said, the Mexican model has been very successful because it always keeps everyone informed about the number of cases that exist daily, as well as the measures that should be followed in health matters.
"That's why it's important for us to talk to the Consulates, so that they do the same here, so that they mobilize and do what they have to do on behalf of the Mexican community," he concluded.
