ORLANDO, Fla. — There is growing concern over the need for COVID-19 testing sites in westside Orlando as the need among the community, including the homeless, continues to increase.
Community activists said the area is at increased risk due to inadequate insurance, lack of transportation and the distance from clinics and hospitals making it difficult to keep chronic illnesses in check.
“Our concern is because of all the underlying problems in the Parramore community, ZIP code 32805, we felt like a testing center should have been put in that community immediately,” said community activist Lawanna Gelzer.
READ: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida
City leaders just announced a $95,000 grant to provide housing and services for 50 of the area’s homeless at the Salvation Army 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s a population that has not been widely tested for COVID-19 and in which underlying health issues are a factor.
Beginning next week there will be five new mobile testing sites in Orange County, two on Orlando's westside: One at Camping World Stadium and the other at Barnett Park.
Commissioner Regina Hill, who represents District 5, said she’s not sure if that it enough.
“There is a concern for me that it still might exclude the residents here on the westside of Orlando because its appointment only and its drive-in, and many of the residents here walk, many of them ride bikes so that would be an obstacle and then to make appointments, many of them do not have access to online services,” Hill said.
Hill is asking state officials to consider walk-up clinics with easy access within urban communities.
“That's where I would like to see testing vehicles go is our homeless shelters and also some strategic places where we know homeless camps are,” she said.
As of Wednesday, there were at least 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hill’s district.
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