EASTON, Pa. (WLVT) - Resources are rolling into the Lehigh Valley, as communities fight the coronavirus.
Last month, PBS39 reported on Pennsylvania's mobile COVID-19 response unit called CATE (Community-Accessible Testing & Education). On Tuesday, CATE made its way to the Easton-Phillipsburg branch of the Greater Valley YMCA, kicking off a five-stop tour of the Lehigh Valley.
The unit is powered by Latino Connection, a Harrisburg-based marketing and communications agency, and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Highmark Blue Shield and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation.
"We tend to fear what we don't understand," said Nelson Mena, a junior project manager with Latino Connection. "The last time humanity [dealt] with a pandemic was almost a century ago. So, there are a lot of people out there who don't really have the education they need to keep themselves and their family safe and healthy."
Mena says it’s typical in Latino culture to have large families living under the same roof.
"You can see that, in the house, the parents, the grandparents, aunts, cousins, anybody [live] together," he said. "So when it comes to social distancing, we could be a little bit more vulnerable than other communities.”
Language can also be a barrier, Mena says, so CATE offers materials in English and Spanish to make sure people understand how to protect themselves and others, including how to wear masks properly, how often to wash hands, and how to properly social distance.
As CATE makes its way through the Lehigh Valley, people can get tested for COVID-19 for free. Organizers say accessibility and affordability are crucial in the fight against the virus.
"If you are one of those people that cannot afford to go to a hospital or if you are not in an accessible area to some place to get tested, CATE can be a great opportunity for you to clear out your doubts if you either are or are not positive," Mena said.
Healthcare workers are testing both inside and outside of the unit. (Inside is limited to one person at a time.) Results are typically ready in two to three days, and testing is first-come, first-serve.
"If you either have symptoms or not, or you feel like you probably had exposure, you just can come," Mena said, "and we will have open doors for you."
Certified community health workers have hundreds of bags ready to hand out, filled with educational materials, as well as a mask and hand sanitizer.
"2020 is kind of a crazy year. A lot of things are going on besides the pandemic, and tons of those things, we cannot control," Mena said. "We can control our hygiene, social distancing and do the best ourselves to stop this pandemic."
Here is the remaining tour schedule for CATE in the Lehigh Valley:
- Wednesday: Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley (520 East 4th Street, Bethlehem)
- Friday: Reading Branch YMCA (631 Washington Street, Reading)
- Saturday: Sinking Spring YMCA (4920 Penn Avenue, Sinking Spring)
- Monday/Tuesday: Allentown YMCA (425 15th Street, Allentown)