Outreach workers Jose Velasco and Antoni Tenecela at the Get Tested Day of Action in Corona, Queens.
On Friday, August 7, CIANA outreach team members went to Corona, Queens for a Get Tested Day of Action, helping facilitate COVID testing and distributing information about the novel coronavirus, which has claimed over 100,000 lives so far in the U.S.
Friday’s Day of Action was run by the NYC Test & Trace Corps, an initiative led by NYC Health + Hospitals to get communities tested for COVID-19, contact those who have gotten the virus, and eventually steer New York onto the road to recovery and reopening. On July 22, CIANA was selected to be part of the Test & Trace Corps, placing special emphasis on helping immigrant communities to get tested and keep their communities safe and healthy.
Throughout March and April, New York City was the national epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 230,000 cases and over 23,000 deaths. The rapidly-spreading nature of the coronavirus demonstrated the need not only for social distancing and wearing masks, but for contact tracing as well.
Launched on June 1, the Test & Trace Corps is composed of public health professionals and community-based organizations all committed to keeping communities safe and healthy through increased testing, information, and awareness. As a community partner, CIANA will be providing culturally competent, linguistically appropriate services both remotely and directly in communities to give community members information about testing, about the virus in general, and guidelines on how they and their families can stay safe.
Having been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, immigrant communities are a high priority for the Test & Trace Corps. With many of its residents being essential workers, lacking health care, and living in crowded conditions, Corona, Queens quickly became the “epicenter of the epicenter.” Corona is still struggling both economically and medically as a result, which is why the Day of Action on August 7 was so necessary.
In the coming months, CIANA will be performing outreach in immigrant communities across Queens, encouraging community members to get tested for COVID-19, tell folks to test positive to contact those they have been in contact with, and take necessary precautions to avoid spreading the virus. The efforts of the Test & Trace Corps will hopefully bring New York closer to a full recovery, and enable our city to reopen.