COVID-19 impacts urban areas and rural communities differently 

The statistic and epidemiological study of the impact the COVID-19 will have on each región has allowed authorities to find a contrast between urban and rural areas regarding how the virus spreads, as well as how quickly it spreads and its lethality.

The areas with a large number of people living in poverty or marginalization show a lower contagion rate than urban areas. However, once COVID-19 arrives in rural communities it has a deadly effect, especially due to the lack of infrastructure for immediate medical attention.

Despite the disadvantages, the communities living in poverty are the ones that were allowed to resume their activities on May 18 thanks to the low contagion rates. This is especially positive for indigenous communities , who are up to 40% of the population in these communities, and who urgently need to make a living.

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When you compare statistics, you can identify the risks in each area: Guadalajara, Monterrey , and Mexico City have avoided scenarios like New York; therefore, this is not the right time to relax physical distancing measures .

Undersecretary Hugo López-Gatel l says that contagions might decrease in Guadalajara and Monterrey by September, information that matches what the Health Ministry said regarding Mexico City , where the pandemic might behave similarly and where the daily death toll could stabilize into a constant number, although this is far from becoming a reality yet.

The risk is still present. In big cities and rural communities , the risk is present relaxing physical distancing measures is not recommended until a few months from now.

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