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I can't hire you; you’re 42 years old, part of the high-risk for covid

A 42-year-old man from the State of Mexico filed a complaint. He went to apply for a job with a company but immediately was driven away

Escrito en NACIÓN el

On May 22, a woman from the State of Mexico called the National Council to Prevent Discrimination (Conapred). She exposed her fear of being discriminated against after the chilling number of four deaths by covid-19 took four family members.

In addition to experiencing this immeasurable tragedy, her data was made known to the people of the neighborhood where she lived, through social networks Facebook and WhatsApp. The woman began to fear going out into the street and suffer verbal attacks from her neighbors.

Given this, Conapred decided to send an official letter to the local Public Safety Commissioner to take the appropriate measures and thus safeguard women''s integrity.

Her fear was not unfounded, assaults on infected people or medical personnel are a constant among the complaint requests filed with Conapred.

On June 30, a 42-year-old man from the State of Mexico filed a complaint. He went to apply for a job with a company but immediately was driven away. The argument used by the company for not hiring him: people of that age range "are part of the high-risk population of contracting covid-19".

Another case occurred on May 25, in Mexico City. A man complained that at the company he works for, a paramedic who also works there sprayed him with cleaning disinfectant. He was returning after being diagnosed with covid-19.

From March 19 to July 3, the Conapred has received 395 complaints. People from around the country call or fill information on the website. They claim they have been submitted to somekind of toxic treatment by their employers, doctors, neighbors, just for being suspicious or being infected with covid 19.

There are also complaints from people who say that their employers force them to work despite being in a vulnerable condition or doctors and nurses who do it without adequate protection measures.

La Silla Rota presents a compendium of representative cases in this regard.

THEY ASK HER TO WASH HER HANDS WITH SOAP, BUT SHE USES CRUTCHES.

In Yucatan, a woman with a disability reported on May 23 that she went to a shopping center with her 76-year-old mother to carry out a bank procedure. The surprise is that despite the woman using crutches, they asked her to wash her hands and apply the gel. She refused because her crutches slip with the soap, but she agreed to put the gel on. However, those in charge threatened to call the police. Then they agreed to use a wheelchair, but in doing so, he came into contact with the wheels that were dirty and became a risk of infection.

KICKED OUT FROM HER DEPARTMENT

On May 13, a doctor from Mexico City reported, via email, that her housemate threw her out from the apartment they shared and asked her to find another place to live. Her roommate was afraid of being infected since she works in a hospital where patients with covid-19 are treated.

BANNED FROM BUYING WATER

On June 5, a man in Tamaulipas called Conapred to complain against a water filter company, which refused to bring the jug of water into his home because he had covid-19. The argument is that it was an instruction from the sales manager.

ATTACKED AT A FUNERAL

On the same day, June 5, but in Mexico, a nurse reported that she went to pick up her sister at the vigil. She was greeted with verbal offenses by those present, who justified the act by saying they feared being infected.

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

On June 11, one of the complaint requests received by Conapred was the one made by a man who accused that in Acámbaro, Guanajuato. From a car speaker, someone asked the inhabitants of the place not to leave their homes. "The virus of the Chinese regime is still among us," said the xenophobic message.

CAR SPRAYED WITH CHLORINATED WATER

On June 16, a doctor from Oaxaca reported that after going to visit her mother-in-law, a person in charge of the entrance to the condominium sprayed her with too much chlorine water and recommended that "if she was a doctor, she should not leave."

FINED FOR GIVING OUT AN INTERVIEW

On June 29, a man presented his case. He reported that after having covid-19, he sought to return to his job, but he was not allowed to return.  The company also wanted to fine him 5,000 pesos for given an interview to a newspaper.

FEAR FOR YOUR DAUGHTER

A doctor at an IMSS medical unit on April 27 complained that they made her return to work with an 11-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. She considered that this attitude was discriminatory since it could infect the minor.

DISCRIMINATED FOR WEARING A COVER

On April 7, at the beginning of the social distancing measures and when the use of the face mask was still under discussion, a man from Nuevo León complained that he went to a supermarket, where he was unexpectedly denied service because he brought masks.

TERMINATION OF THE LEASE

On April 14, a Puebla doctor turned to Conapred''s website to complain that he and his partner were harassed with comments from the owner of the building where they rent from the beginning of the pandemic. He told them that they were a risk to the rest of the tenants due to their profession, in addition to receiving a message that they could no longer use the elevator and had to terminate their lease.

THE HARASSMENT

On March 31, a woman went to a bank in Veracruz. Even though she was wearing a mask, she felt stigmatized as if she had a covid-19. People inside the financial institution teased her to the degree that she was rushed out of the bank branch.

Traducción: Valentina K. Yanes

(María José Pardo)