NCDHHS selects organizations to address impact of COVID-19 on LatinX community

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has selected five organizations to address the impact of COVID-19 in Hispanic and LatinX communities.

The department’s full statement is provided below:

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has awarded grants to five local North Carolina organizations to help address the disparate impact COVID-19 is having among the state’s Hispanic and LatinX communities.

Association of Mexicans in North Carolina Inc. (AMEXCAN), El Centro Hispano, Latin American Coalition, Qué Pasa Media Network and True Ridge will each receive $100,000 to help support disease prevention measures in high-risk Hispanic/LatinX communities. The five organizations selected to partner with NCDHHS represent the eastern, central, western and major metropolitan areas of North Carolina.

Measures to be addressed include prevention practices such as wearing face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand-washing; access to COVID-19 testing; engagement with contact tracers; participation in quarantine and isolation measures; and coordination with NCDHHS messaging around these efforts.

“Hispanic/LatinX North Carolinians are strong and resilient, and we are investing in that strength. We are committed to working with the people on the ground who know their communities best,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D.

In June 2020, North Carolina saw a sustained increase in its confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the general population, and a disproportionately high percentage of cases statewide are among historically marginalized populations. In particular, North Carolina’s Hispanic/LatinX communities are being hit hard by the virus, representing 44% of cases statewide (as of mid-June) where race and ethnicity are known.

Many people in Hispanic/LatinX communities provide essential services and work in industries North Carolina relies upon, such as construction, child care and food processing. Often, this work is in environments where social distancing can be challenging, health insurance is not provided and for a sick person, staying home could create a significant financial burden. These are all factors that may be contributing to the high rate of COVID-19 spread among Hispanic/LatinX communities.

The grants will be funded through the end of 2020 by the NC General Assembly’s Department of the Treasury.

Source: Fox 8 News Channel