INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Public Health Department and the City of Indianapolis announced plans to expand COVID-19 testing, in order to address the disparities in the impact of COVID-19 among African-American residents and those of older age groups. Eastern Star Church, 5750 E. 30th St., will serve as the testing site for this expanded service, beginning next week.
According to data released by the Marion County Public Health Department, African-American residents have been three times more likely than white residents to get diagnosed with a confirmed case of COVID-19, two and a half times more likely to be hospitalized due to the virus, and twice as likely to die from it. Residents at higher risk for complications from the COVID-19 infection are those with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and asthma.
National data recently published by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a nationwide trend of minority communities severely impacted by COVID-19. The new testing initiative will expand the availability of public health data for Marion County, allowing policymakers better guidance when establishing the steps necessary to slow the spread of infection, especially in higher-risk neighborhoods.
Residents who develop symptoms of the Coronavirus including fever, dry cough, or shortness of breath can call 317-221-5515 or visit www.marionhealth.org/indycovid. Residents will need to complete the registration and health screening to receive an appointment before visiting the testing location. All COVID-19 tests conducted at Eastern Star Church will be conducted by appointment only. This site will be managed by Virgil R. Madden, Marion County Public Health Department COVID-19 Site Incident Commander and Director of Civic Engagement.