As the novel coronavirus continues to keep local economies across the country in paralysis, one journalist is sharing his thoughts on the inevitable rebound.
According to a commentary by Michael Rodriguez, deputy editor of The Monitor, talk of the Rio Grande Valley being unable to recover from the impacts of this national disaster is upsetting.
“As a lifelong resident of the Rio Grande Valley, I can recall with every national emergency it being said that our people are too fat, too stupid, too poor and too set in our ways to survive a crisis — whether they be public health emergencies, natural disasters or economic recessions,” Rodriguez said.
Despite the cards that the Valley has been dealt in terms of demographics and insufficient resources, however, the community has thrived in the past when faced with such challenges.
Rodriguez said that nonprofit publications have hinted that the virus will hit the Valley particularly hard, but he disagrees despite the “vulnerable populations” and impoverished nature of many who call the Valley home.
“It’s unfair to suggest our fates are tied to our weaknesses,” Rodriguez said.
Testing measures, Rodriguez said, will be inaccurate, and the Valley actually began practicing stay-at-home measures, using masks and following curfews prior to the state of Texas choosing to implement such measures.
As of April 20, Texas reported 18,923 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 477 deaths. Hidalgo County has 255 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Though residents in Rio Grande Valley are certainly susceptible to COVID-19, so are all of the other residents in every other area of every state, Rodriguez said.
“The greater challenge for us here in deep South Texas is the lack of state and federal funding to create the infrastructure necessary to meet our challenges head-on,” Rodriguez said.
While the residents of the Valley need to continue to support themselves while they wait for more state and federal aid, Rodriguez has not doubts that they will be able to weather the storm.
Alerts Sign-up