 Farm workers in the Salinas Valley are the subject of a new study revealing the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on Latinos in the agriculture industry. Farm workers most of whom in California are Latino are essential workers and ensure the continuity of the nation's food supply. Salinas Valley is often referred to as the salad bowl of the world because the large percentage of lettuce and other green produce grown in the region. This study was conducted by the UC Berkeley School of Public Health in collaboration with Clinica de Salud de Valle de Salinas and was one of the first and largest of its kind. It included data from 1,000 farm workers working in the region, 95% of them Latino, to examine COVID-19 risks and infection rates. According to the last census, Latinos represent 59% of the population in Monterey County, but 74% of the cases and 75% of the fatalities. The study found that farm workers had a higher rate of COVID-19 positivity compared to the general surrounding population. According to the study, an overwhelming majority of participants rarely left their home for non-essential reasons or attended social gatherings. So why exactly is COVID-19 having such a widespread effect on this community? Well, 37% reported living in overcrowded homes and 43% reported not having any place to quarantine if they became infected with the virus. But one of the most troubling statistics, according to researchers, was that 58% of the participants who became infected with the virus still reported going to work even if they had symptoms, setting fears of losing their job or losing pay. While California enacted the Farmers Relief Package in late September, which included paid sick leave as well as targeted bilingual educational campaigns, researchers say there's still more to be done to protect those who fuel our nation's food supply. All said and done, if we're going to mount a complete and adequate response, we have to look at issues of social justice as well as public health and developing public health plans to take care of people. I'm Anisha Chandy for CalTV News.