"We as a community need to be able to say 'it's okay to come out and get tested' because we have resources to help you," said Jon Jacobo, the Health Committee chair for the Latino Task Force, which partnered with the city to bring awareness to new and existing programs.
RELATED: New study in SF's Mission District aims to curb COVID-19 outbreaks in Latino community
"If you are undocumented, you know that you don't qualify for any of the state or federal benefits that apply to others. And so if you know that, you more than likely will be timid to get tested if you're asymptomatic or not and be told that you have to stay home for two weeks. At that point, if you have to stay home for two weeks and you're going to lose your wages, you may not be able to recover that and that really could be the ball game for you financially," said Jacobo.
[Ads /]
A press release from Mayor London Breed's office said the La Familia Unida Contra COVID-19 campaign "will focus on culturally-responsive safety messaging to increase awareness of health orders and guidelines, as well as programs that support the community with food, housing, finance, and mental health services." (Scroll to the bottom of this post to read the full press release)
VIDEO: Virtual town hall addressing COVID-19 impact on Latino community
'Race and Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation'
The campaign is to let immigrants and undocumented people know that there is money that they can access, should their family be impacted by COVID-19.
[Ads /]
The Right to Recover Fund provides two-week wage replacement, based on minimum wage amounting to $1,285, for up to 1,500 San Franciscans who test positive for COVID-19.
Family Relief Fund already offered $500 to $1000 monthly for families that do not qualify for local, state, or federal assistance.
RELATED: California's Hispanic community is being hit the hardest by COVID-19, data shows
And, Immigrant Workers Fund makes one-time $200 payments available for supportive services and food for immigrant workers impacted by COVID-19.
[Ads /]
On Wednesday morning, the Latino Task Force and UCSF launched a testing program and study in the Mission District for commuters and essential workers. Jacobo was there and said they tested 500 people, who lined up down the block.
"In April when we started to do testing, we had to get gift cards from Safeway to try to incentivize people to get tested. So just for me anecdotally, there's been a huge mood shift, where people are taking it very serious."
Full press release from City of San Francisco
If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- COVID-19 Help: Comprehensive list of resources, information
- Watch list: Counties where COVID-19 is getting worse
- MAP: Everything that's open, forced to close in Bay Area
- Everything to know about CA's confusing reopening plan, summer shutdown and what comes next
- From salons to dinner parties:Experts rate the risk of 12 activities
- Coronavirus origin: Where did COVID-19 come from?
- Life after COVID-19: Here's what restaurants, gyms will look like
- What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
- What will it take to get a COVID-19 vaccine and how will it be made?
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- Here's how shelter in place, stay athome orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area
- Experts compare face shield vs. face mask effectiveness
- COVID-19Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during novel coronavirus pandemic
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic