Why Filipino American nurses are dying of COVID-19 at alarming rates
COVID-19 has upended the lives of millions of people across the world. In the U.S., frontline health care workers are sacrificing their lives to save and protect others—and no ethnic group of health care workers has faced more pain than Filipino Americans. Although they make up for 4% of the nation’s nursing workforce, Filipino American nurses account for 20% of nurses in states like California (Wang et al. 3686). Additionally, more than a quarter of the nurses who have died of COVID in the U.S. are Filipino (Glover). Filipino Americans in health care goes back to the U.S.’s colonial history in the Philippines: medical education in the Philippines was shaped after the American medical education system (Thornell). In the 1960s, when there was a shortage of nurses in the U.S., it was easy for American hospitals to hire Filipino nurses who knew nursing the American way (Thornell). This colonial relationship continues to this day as Filipinos immigrate to the U.S. to make a living wage for themselves and their families back in the Philippines. They do not realize that they are, in fact, exploited by the nation they think would save them. Ultimately, Filipino American nurses are dying of COVID19 at alarming rates because of their cultural practices and pre-existing health conditions, they do not receive enough support from employers, do not advocate for themselves due to fear of retaliation, and they are harmed by the illustrations of them as “heroes” and resilient people. To back up such reasons, readings from the class were used in this paper and two Filipina nurses from St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton, CA shared their experience when they worked during the peak of the pandemic.
Filipino American nurses have certain cultural practices and pre-existing health conditions, making them more susceptible to the virus. Cultural practices, like intergenerational co-residence, among Asian Americans may place them at risk for COVID-19 transmission (Wang et al. 3686). Filipino Americans are more likely than white people to live in threegenerational households (Wang et al. 3686). Filipino American nurses may not only live with their spouse and children, but also their own parents and grandparents. Since Filipino American nurses are working on the frontlines to take care of COVID-19 patients, they have a high chance of contracting the virus. Roberta Singson, a Filipina nurse at St. Jude’s Hospital, noticed that Filipino and other POC nurses were disproportionately in the ICUs and emergency rooms of her hospital during the peak of the pandemic last year. In fact, one of her Filipino co-workers passed away due to contracting the virus from working long hours in the emergency room. She also heard that her co-worker’s mother got the virus since they lived in the same house. Fortunately, the mother was able to recover. “It’s really unfair because as nurses, we expected to take care of patients, but none of us expected and enlisted to die,” Roberta said. Once Filipino American nurses arrive at home to their families, they are likely to transmit the virus to them at a quicker pace, especially to older relatives. There is an alarming chain reaction that occurs—Filipino
American nurses are not only putting themselves in danger but also their loved ones. Moreover,
Filipino Americans have the highest prevalence of hypertension and comorbidity rate among
Asian Americans, and are susceptible to diabetes and other metabolic issues (Wang et al. 3686). Asians are even less likely than other groups to receive care for their chronic conditions (Wang et al. 3686). Working on the frontlines on a daily basis coupled with the fact that they have preexisting health conditions, Filipino American nurses would struggle in recovering from COVID19 once they contract it. It is important to emphasize that they should not feel guilty for the way they have been living for years or for their pre-existing health conditions. The real culprits are the people and systems that continue to take advantage of them. Rather than provide additional aid (e.g. health, financial) to them, Filipino American nurses are mostly left on their own to not only take care of themselves, but also their own family and patients.
Filipino American nurses do not receive enough support from their employers, creating a deep emotional toll on them. Filipino American nurses already carry a lot of burden on their shoulders: they are expected to perform well on their job and provide enough income for their families both in the U.S. and the Philippines. The pandemic has made this grueling since they do not receive adequate help from their employers, making it harder for them to do their jobs properly while also looking after themselves. “Our hospitals looked like tragic battlegrounds. Our unit was converted into a medical overflow since COVID patients needed more hospital beds. We didn’t have sufficient PPE and COVID testing kits. I was also hearing stories about how depressed the nurses felt; they were crying at work. That emotional toll for us was tough to bear,” Roberta said. When employers do not help their employees navigate the effects of COVID-19 physically and mentally, then Filipino American nurses are going to suffer at devastating rates. “I felt like I was putting my own health and my family’s health at risk just by entering the hospital to do the job that I’ve always done, and that brought a whole different, crazy-level stress to me,” Roberta said. As mentioned, Filipino American nurses typically live in intergenerational households which puts their family’s lives at jeopardy. Having this knowledge can create immense pressure because one poor response from their employer can upend not only their life, but also their loved ones. The lack of PPE is an example of poor response that endangers nurses. Without these basic essentials, Filipino American nurses cannot defend themselves and others from the virus which further adds to the anxiety and stress they are already feeling. Some nurses decided to improvise by using garbage bags and snorkel masks to protect themselves, which are dangerous and ineffective ways to get their job done. Additionally, working-class workers are in this state of global migration and racial capitalism with few opportunities for upward mobility (Khan 482). The failure to achieve the “American dream” prohibits companies from taking accountability in valuing employee labor, placing the burden on working people to prove their competency as effective American workers (Khan 482). The
“American dream” is only attainable if one is born into wealth and privilege. As working-class workers and immigrants, it is going to be difficult for Filipino American nurses to climb the social ladder. No matter how long they work or how often they put themselves on the frontlines, they are ultimately still devalued and seen as dispensable workers. Employers only care about their labor—not the people performing it—and are more than willing to exploit their employees for the sake of capitalism.
Filipino American nurses do not speak up due to their fear of retaliation from their employers. As depicted from the alarming death rates of Filipino American nurses due to COVID-19, this ethnic group is clearly suffering—and they need a helping hand. They are desperate for support from their employers, however, there is warranted fear when it comes to airing their concerns. Roberta shared that she and her co-workers were not thrilled about the idea of questioning authority, especially when it comes to not being provided with adequate PPE.
“We discussed that there’s this aspect of Filipino culture wherein we don’t want to rock the boat or speak up for ourselves, and so when we didn’t receive enough PPE, we weren’t making a fuss about it”, she said. As POC and immigrants, they are worried that they will be seen as disrespectful and ungrateful. This fear is particularly heightened if nurses are here in the U.S. on a work visa. “A few of my fellow nurses are on work visas, and they’re terrified that one wrong move, our employer can renounce their work permit and force them to return to the Philippines,” Roberta said. The lack of citizenship in the U.S. creates a complex relationship and precarious power dynamics between employer and employee. Similarly, as seen in the Chandler Roundup, a five-day immigration raid in 1997, this fits into a bigger picture of immigration law enforcement practices that place immigrants at risk before the law and label them as second-class citizens with inferior rights (Romero 468). By treating immigrants/non-citizens as undeserving of safety and security, they are discouraged from seeking help since they know they could be arrested if they have no legal papers to show. Filipino non-citizen nurses in the U.S. could be easily discarded by their employer. Moreover, nurses like Roberta are not fully protected if they decide to speak up against their employers. Even if workers express discontent and challenge corporate greed, this often results in workers losing their jobs without the financial resources to pursue retaliation lawsuits (Khan 486). Filipino American nurses, especially non-citizens, may not have enough knowledge about filing lawsuits as well as the money to shell out to pay for such expenses. They also have more important financial priorities such as their family to support. To them, there are greater disadvantages than advantages if they choose to confront their employer. If they fail, they are more than likely to lose their job—worst case scenario, get deported if they are a non-citizen.
Filipino American nurses are typically illustrated as “heroes” and resilient individuals by American society. It may initially seem positive that they are viewed as such, however, having this type of representation perpetuates detrimental consequences. Daniella Alonzo, another Filipina nurse at St. Jude’s Hospital, shared her concerns about the stereotypes regarding Filipino nurses in the U.S. “You often hear the phrase “health care heroes” when talking about Filipino nurses here. When I first heard it, I was very flattered. But after more than a decade of working here, I’ve become a bit wary of that phrase. Especially during the pandemic, I’d rather have a coworker who’s alive than a co-worker who’s a hero,” she said. American society also glorifies the resiliency of Filipino American nurses, when in reality there is an insidious issue that lies beneath: they are exploited by the system they thought would protect and save them. Indeed, while workers are commended as heroes of a capitalist state, their disposability becomes legitimate as threats from employers force employees to continue working despite the risk of literal death (Khan 480). Depicting Filipino American nurses as “heroes” ignores the narrative that they are heavily suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 and are literally sacrificing their lives on the frontlines. The public ignores the fact that Filipino American nurses need strong support from their employers too—they are real life humans who cannot solely carry the burden of saving this country from the pandemic. Additionally, America is determined to push the image that Filipinos are “honorary whites”, emphasizing that they are accepted or respected by white people. However, that could not be farther from the truth. They not only are not “honorary whites,” but their status as Americans is precarious and uncertain during the COVID-19 crisis (Tessler et al. 2). It is ignorant to claim that Asian Americans, such as Filipino American health care workers, are appreciated by white people or the rest of the American population. In reality, they are dehumanized and taken advantage of until their last breath. Filipino American nurses died of COVID-19 because they were doing their job; they died saving and prioritizing other people’s lives to the point that they could not save their own.
Filipino American nurses are more than their labor. Non-citizen or not, they deserve as much respect as any other person in the U.S. Due to specific cultural practices and pre-existing health conditions, not receiving enough support from employers, not advocating for themselves because of fear of retaliation, and being harmed by the images of them as “heroes” and resilient people, Filipino American nurses are dying of COVID-19 at alarming rates. As they continue to fight through the pandemic, they need this country’s aid now more than ever. If Filipino American nurses are valued and protected, they are able to fully take care of themselves and confidently perform their jobs—without worrying if they and/or a family member of theirs will die next.
Works Cited
Alonzo, Daniella. Personal interview. 25 May 2021.
Glover, Julian. 2021. “Filipino American nurses are part of an overlooked community hit hard by COVID-19.” ABC7 Chicago, WLS-TV, 10 May 2021, abc7chicago.com/filipinoamericans-nurses-covid-deaths-nurse-sacrifices-registered-dead-from/10557478/.
Khan, Hareem. “Existentially Essential: In/Visibility under Racial Capitalism.” Journal of Asian
American Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 2020, pp. 475–490., doi:10.1353/jaas.2020.0036.
Romero, Mary. “Racial Profiling and Immigration Law Enforcement: Rounding Up of Usual Suspects in the Latino Community.” Critical Sociology, vol. 32, no. 2-3, 2006, pp. 447– 473., doi:10.1163/156916306777835376.
Singson, Roberta. Personal interview. 23 May 2021.
Tessler, Hannah, et al. “The Anxiety of Being Asian American: Hate Crimes and Negative Biases During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” American Journal of Criminal Justice, vol.
45, no. 4, 2020, pp. 636–646., doi:10.1007/s12103-020-09541-5.
Thornell, Christina. “Why the US Has so Many Filipino Nurses.” Vox, Vox, 30 June 2020,
www.vox.com/2020/6/30/21307199/filipino-nurses-us.
Wang, Daniel, et al. “Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in COVID-19: Emerging
Disparities Amid Discrimination.” Journal of General Internal Medicine, vol. 35, no. 12, 2020, pp. 3685–3688., doi:10.1007/s11606-020-06264-5.
