Free COVID-19 testing in Oakland's Fruitvale District this weekend
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The City of Oakland and several community partners are coming together to provide free COVID-19 testing in the Fruitvale District this weekend, an area accounting for nearly 40 percent of all positive cases in Alameda County.
"This zip code has been most affected by the COVID-19 virus. Our Latino families are testing at more than six times the rate of our white families," said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff, who also provide the message in Spanish.
Free drive-thru testing will take place Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the La Clinica de La Raza parking lot, one of the organizations partnering with the city to make it happen.
La Clinica, The Unity Council, La Familia, and UCSF are working together to provide 4,000 viral and antibody tests to one of the hardest hit neighborhoods in the Bay Area.
"Essential workers have been working this entire time now it's our turn to take care of them," said Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council.
City leaders said the Fruitvale neighborhood, with a dense Latino population, is filled with essential workers.
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Many are concerned a positive test result could pull them off the job for a two week quarantine and put an end to their income, taking food off the table.
That's why La Clinica is providing wrap-around social services to support families that have someone in the home test positive.
The organization is working to provide stipends to cover basic bills and supplemental food support among other resources.
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"The only way that we're gonna get a handle on this is to find out where our positives are," said Jane Garcia, La Clinica's CEO.
UCSF will study the data reflected in the antibody tests to help determine how the virus is spreading so rampantly in this community.
You do not need to have symptoms in order to get tested and children are encouraged to get a test as well.
Testing is free and you will not be asked about immigration status.
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