Local church to help minority communities slow the spread of COVID-19

August 14, 2020

Rashaad Vann,

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — COVID-19 currently has a disproportionate impact on racial and ethnic minorities across the country.

To help minimize the spread, Resmano De Paz Church in Warner Robins, will provide free COVID-19 drive-thru testing to help Hispanics and others.

“We are trying now to reach the populations that don’t have as much access to COVID testing and in areas that are reporting higher COVID rates as well,” Partnership Coordinator Kari Kaviten said.

According to the CDC, Hispanic communities are vulnerable to the virus due to factors that include resources and healthcare. That’s why Core Site Manager, Juan Espinosa, says they want to help minority communities help slow the spread.

“There is a four times higher chance of Latino communities, Latinx communities, and black communities being affected most when it comes to the coronavirus in the United States,” Core Site Manager Juan Espinosa said. “A lot of the time due to the funding to the community in the surrounding area there’s not really enough funding for those communities to be as supported.”

Resmano De Paz Senior Pastor, Luis Ramirez, says they want to test more than 350 people Saturday.

“We want to make sure people come, Hispanic people, African Americans, White, Indians, people from Asian pacific backgrounds, anyone that wants to be tested,” Ramirez said. “Everybody at the end of the day needs to get tested and that’s what we encourage, ya know?” Espinosa said.