Caring for Our Workers
A photo from our colleague Maritza Lopez celebrating the 1st of May this morning
May 1, 2020
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
On this May 1st, we hold in our hearts and minds all of those whose work is sustaining us. From healthcare workers to the workers growing and distributing our food, to the many informal workers without structural safety nets, there are many who do not have the choice to maintain physical distance now. A special salute to the Cuban doctors and medical brigades helping to protect the most vulnerable in 21 countries around the world.
Today, for the first time in 60 years, Cubans will not be marching in the streets to celebrate International Workers’ Day, but we know that the applause for workers will be stronger than ever.
In this, the seventh edition of Caring in Crisis (COVID-19), we honor all the work (in its many forms) that people are contributing during the pandemic with featured links (scroll down). We also share the alarming news of an assault made on the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C. early Thursday morning, and send special well-wishes to the Cuban Diplomatic Mission and all the Cubans and Cuban Americans who rely on the embassy and consulate remaining a safe and secure location. We are relieved that no one was injured.
Upcoming Event: “Martica, A Family Doctor – A Watch Party Webinar on Cuban Healthcare and COVID-19 Response”
Join us Wednesday, May 6 at 12:30pm EST for Part 1 of “Who Cares?” A Cuba Platform series of webinar watch parties featuring screenings of our Cuban Visionaries short films series. We will screen our short film on the Cuban family doctor system and hear from Counselor Rodney González of the Cuban Embassy in Washington about Cuba’s national and international response to COVID-19. Participants should RSVP here to receive the zoom link.
Cuba and Covid-19
First, some good news: the number of new cases is dropping (36 on Thursday) and in one municipality of Camaguey, where 11,035 residents had been quarantined, transmission of the virus has been “concluded.” Nationally, the virus is expected to peak next week. So far, 1,537 of the 49,409 individuals tested have been confirmed positive (3.1%), 2,897 patients are under clinical epidemiological surveillance in hospitals, 3,892 are under observation in their homes, 61 patients have died, and 681 have recovered. To help contain spread of the pandemic, the government of Cuba is liberating 6,579 prisoners. The island is continuing to grapple with the economic ramifications of the pandemic and ministers are considering implementing measures taken during the Special Period (the time following the collapse of the USSR) in order to ensure “efficient and rational use of resources."
Medical Internationalism and Solidarity
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending Cuba a second batch of vital testing equipment. Since mid-April, 229 Cuban doctors, nurses and specialists have arrived to Qatar adding to the list of 21 countries where Cuban medical brigades are working.
Cuban Workers During Crisis
While all countries face difficult challenges associated with protecting workers, the responses have been widely divergent. Here in the U.S., workers of major companies including Amazon, Whole Foods, and others organized strikes of unprecedented levels today. In Cuba, the government has passed measures to support workers who need to isolate or care for a loved one. Some strategies are underway to redirect workforce, such as hotel employees, to the Frank País Hospital laboratories in order to support containment of the virus. Cuban agricultural workers and farmers are continuing to do the hard work of keeping up food supply – even while wearing face masks in the field – showing the value of small farming and urban agriculture during a time when imports are limited. As pointed out in an article by Oxfam Cuba and IPS, Cuban women continue to carry much of the weight of care work.
We hope you are safe and well. Please stay tuned next week for our postponed second look at food security and sovereignty on the island, and don’t forget to join us on zoom Wednesday!
Take Care,
Sarah, Justine, Mariakarla
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What we're reading and viewing now in honor of work and workers:
On the Cuban medical workers taking care of the neighborhoods. Belly of the Beast Productions follows Dr. Liz Caballero as she goes door to door in El Carmelo Municipality in Havana.
On informal workers and the impact of COVID-19 on Black people in the United States. An op-ed from AFRE Senior Fellow Rich Wallace in Crain's Chicago Business. Rich is an advocate for decarceration - a step that has already been taken in Cuba.