Los Angeles County officials reported 18 more deaths from COVID-19 and 440 additional cases on Sunday, raising the countywide totals to 19,528 cases and 913 deaths.
In an effort to combat the spread of the virus among the city’s most vulnerable populations, a pop-up testing station was set up in Skid Row, one of the most challenging neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Over 5,000 homeless residents were able to access free COVID-19 tests at this facility.
Freelance journalist Matteo Ghidoni covered the initiative, highlighting the importance of providing accessible healthcare services to those in need. Ghidoni also interviewed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti about the city’s response.
Mayor Garcetti emphasized the collaborative efforts with County Public Health officials to protect the homeless community. “We worked closely with County Public Health and got advice on taking people off the streets and putting them in spaced shelters. Now we have over 1,000 beds available,” he said.
Expressing pride in the city’s progress, Garcetti added, “I am very proud of those numbers, nearly 300 over the last three days, and we are just going to keep doing that.” The mayor also noted the establishment of walk-up testing centers in areas with dense encampments, such as Skid Row, to ensure that all residents have access to essential health services.
Reference(s):
Story of Fighting COVID-19: Free testing for the homeless in LA
cgtn.com
