As the COVID 19 pandemic rages on, families and residents all over the world are facing unimaginable hardships. In LA County the records show that 1 in 200 residents are infected and drawing a lot of concern.
In a zoom conference hosted by Ethnic Media Services, (EMS), a team of healthcare and social services professionals laid out the solutions and tools provided by the county.
Clockwise from top left: Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor, First District, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; Antonia Jimenez, Director, Department of Public Social Services; Dr. Tasha Dixon, Lead Physician, Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services; Dr. Erika Flores-Uribe, Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center
Dr. Erika Flores-Uribe, a specialist in emergency medicine for LA County’s Department of Health Services, emphasized the importance of getting tested. LA County has provided over 180 sites for all its residents regardless of insurance or immigration status. To locate available sites the number 211 is available for locating and making appointments.
“No-one is immune to this virus”, reiterated Dr. Tasha Dixon, lead physician for DHS’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center. “Please come in. We will not turn you away, we will not provide any information to authorities. We are here to care for your health.”
If someone is at risk of transmitting COVID in his or her household because of possible exposure to the virus, the county has quarantine facilities available. These can be arranged by calling: (833) 540-0473.
Hilda L. Solis, Pro Tem Chair of the County Board of Supervisors said,“It’s unacceptable. We have to find a way to bring down the curve of COVID by incentivizing our communities to take advantage of all these health care services.” She emphasized that no immigrants’ information would be shared with authorities and so encouraged everyone to take advantage of the resources in place in order to save lives.
Her office announced a new agreement between the county and 51 community benefit organizations that can help people find food assistance, health care, cash, homeless services and more. The 51 organizations include everything from the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative to the Armenian Relief Society of Western USA, Chinatown Service Center, Gender Justice LA, Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, Pukuu Cultural Community Services, Khmer Girls in Action, InnerCity Struggle, and CIELO — Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo.
CalFresh program, is also another resource said Antonia Jimenez, Director of the Department of Public Social Services. Phones are staffed Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Applications can also be submitted at the web site getcalfresh.org.
More food resources and food pantries offering groceries can be found at Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s locator (https://www.lafoodbank.org/find-food/pantry-locator/) and also FoodFinder’s (https://foodfinder.us/).
The WIC (nutritional assistance for women, infants and children) can be obtained whatever
Worrying that the pandemic is not taken seriously Dr. Dixon strongly reiterated the need to take the vaccine.
