coronavirus

Dallas County Added to List of Walgreens COVID-19 Testing Sites

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Judge Clay Jenkins says there could soon be additional testing in Dallas County, and he already had an idea how he’d like to distribute those resources. 

Jenkins says a recent phone call for more tests proved fruitful. He says Dallas County was added to a list of Walgreens COVID-19 testing sites.

“The head of testing texted back today said it had been cleared through the HHS and so we’ll have sites,” said Jenkins.

Exactly when that will happen is to be determined. But Jenkins says he does have an idea where he’d like to see them.

“The areas that I’m most concerned about for these Walgreens sites are South Dallas,” he said.

He says there’s also an area in the Northern part of the county he’s considering.

But he’s clear that he wants to see more resources in black communities.

“The resources that we’re talking about is testing,” he said. “Trying to get that testing there so we get visibility into what’s actually happening for people who aren’t going to the doctor.”

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that African American people are disproportionately impacted by the virus. On one hand, Jenkins said the disparities were foreseeable.

“We know that whenever there is a health condition that that disproportionately impacts those who are uninsured,” he said.

On the other hand, he says he didn’t know to what extent this novel virus would highlight those disparities.

“This, even more so than other diseases, is discriminate against black and brown neighbors,” he said. “So, it makes it that more much more urgent that we get that help there as quickly as we can.”

Jenkins says the bottom line is more testing is needed in black communities and he’s working to see to that it happens.

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