Letters to the Editor: How ICE raids could inadvertently encourage the spread of infectious diseases
To the editor: Staff writer Corinne Purtill's article on healthcare avoidance due to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations highlights a crucial gap: the public health threat posed by undetected infectious diseases ('In Southern California, many are skipping healthcare out of fear of ICE operations,' June 20). While missed chronic care appointments create individual health risks, the failure to diagnose and treat contagious conditions threatens our entire community.
When fearful residents stop seeking medical care, avoid routine visits and skip vaccinations, communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, measles or seasonal flu can spread uncontrolled. A single undiagnosed case in L.A.'s densely populated neighborhoods, schools or workplaces could trigger outbreaks affecting everyone — documented and undocumented residents alike.
Public health depends on communitywide participation in disease surveillance and prevention. Immigration enforcement that drives vulnerable populations away from healthcare doesn't just harm those individuals; it also creates dangerous blind spots in our infectious disease monitoring systems.
Los Angeles cannot maintain public health while a significant portion of our population remains hidden from medical care. This crisis demands immediate attention to protect all Angelenos.
Thomas Klitzner, Culver City
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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