Hero background of woman providing services at a store

DO YOUR PART. USE YOUR MASK. #IUSEMINEFOR

Hispanic Heritage Month

Inspired by the desire to help our community in a time of need and honor Latino lives during Hispanic Heritage Month, this campaign is intended to raise awareness of the importance of using face coverings to help Hispanic communities protect against the spread of COVID-19.

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COVID-19 AFFECTS HISPANICS MOST

Hispanics in the United States are three times more likely to become infected with COVID-19 and twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than other groups.1

Less than 20% of Hispanic workers can work from home2 and many live with several family members, increasing their risk of infection.

For 41 million Hispanics in the United States, Spanish is their native language,3 and 32% of the total Hispanic population does not speak English.4 Not having access to reliable information available in your language may pose a greater risk. 

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THE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING MASKS

Masks may help prevent COVID-19 people from spreading the virus to others.5

You can spread it to others even if you don't have symptoms.

An infected person can spread the virus up to 30 feet away by speaking, coughing or sneezing.6

Wearing a mask does not cause suffocation or CO2 accumulation; keep in mind that doctors use them every day.7

Masks should NOT be worn by children under two years of age or by people who have difficulty breathing, are unconscious, incapacitated or unable to remove them without help.

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Wash hands, cover nose and mouth, stay six feet apart

WHAT TO DO

Wash your hands or use sanitizer before putting on and after removing your mask.

Put the mask over your nose and mouth.

After taking your mask off, try to put it face down over a cloth — or clean the area afterward.

Wear a mask whenever you're away from home and in public spaces. Even when wearing a mask, always try to keep six feet away from other people.

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Don't handle masks, don't speak without a mask

WHAT NOT TO DO

Don't share your mask with anyone.  

Don't leave the house without a mask. 

When outside your home, don't lower the mask to speak -- only to eat or drink, but make sure there’s no one near.

Don't forget that children two years of age and older should also wear a mask. 

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SPEAKING BETWEEN HISPANICS...

  • It’s okay to forgo greetings with a kiss during the pandemic; try winking your eye.
  • Even though the “compadre” is like family, he isn’t your family, so wear a mask when you see him.
  • Weekly dinner can be virtual...and you don't have to have your aunt's soup. 
  • He may be your nephew, but he could also be sick.
  • Seeing is not believing; you may be sick and not know it.
  • If you love your grandma, don’t visit her; sing her a song instead.
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HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MASK

It's easy to make your own mask. Follow the steps to protect yourself and your loved ones: 

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No matter which option you choose for making your own mask, make sure that:

It fits snugly but comfortably on your face.

It’s secured with strings or elastics.

It includes multiple layers of fabric (minimum of two).

It allows you to breathe without restrictions.

It can be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape.

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Sources
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
DISCLAIMER

The content on this website is for informational and reference purposes only, and is based on CDC guidelines.  It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional guidance, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. VMLY&R disclaims all representations and warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. For more information, visit the CDC’s website www.cdc.org

ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN

Powered by Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at VMLY&R, this campaign was born out of a sincere desire to help protect our Hispanic community from the COVID-19 pandemic. We are a group of Latino advertisers based in Miami who could not sit still seeing how their people have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic for not having the necessary information on how to take care of themselves. So we decided to donate our time and work to help communicate the importance of wearing a mask as a way to protect yourself, protect your family and reduce contagion.

Credits:

  • Director/Photographer – Fro Rojas
  • DP – Alex Veliz
  • Music composition & audio mix – David Miranda/Makeabeat Productions
  • AVO – Cesar Sanjur
  • Hairdresser – Cristina Ramirez/Primos Barber Shop
  • Manager – Gloria Arenas/Red Gallerie Furniture
  • Priest – Francisco Hernandez/St. Raymond Catholic Church
  • Dry Cleaner – Rosalia Alvarez/El Dry Cleaner

Please contact [email protected] for campaign inquiries or to obtain campaign assets.

SOURCES

[1] “The Fullest Look Yet at the Racial Inequity of Coronavirus”, New York Times, 5 de julio de 2020.

[2] US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[3] Pew Research 2018.

[4] U.S. Census 2018.

[5] CDC.

[6] AMA Network: “Turbulent Gas Clouds and Respiratory Pathogen Emissions”, Potential Implications for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19, 26 de marzo de 2020. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2763852?appId=scweb)

[7] Healthline. Health News: “No, Face Mask Can’t Cause CO2 Poisoning”, 24 de junio de 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/no-face-masks-cant-cause-co2-poisoning#What-to-know-about-N95-masks