Drive-thru testing centers help Latinos combat COVID-19

BERWYN – The Alivio Medical Center has launched drive-thru COVID-19 testing centers in Berwyn and Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, two predominantly Latino communities. The idea behind the recent effort is to make testing for the coronavirus more accessible for Latinos, who have more confirmed cases than black people and white people.

21,355 Latinos have tested positive for COVID-19, surpassing white people, who have amassed 16,606 cases, and black people, who have had 14,507 cases, according to Illinois Department of Public Health statistics as of May 11. (The race for 20,636 cases was left blank.)

But when it comes to being tested for the coronavirus, Latinos fall behind black people and white people, the IDPH also reported.

A closer look at more data reveals that Berwyn had 760 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of May 11, while neighboring Cicero, where nearly 90% of its population identify as Latino or Hispanic, has steadily risen to 1,720.

Sandra Ramirez, director of development at Alivio, said Latinos are a part of the vulnerable population and constantly face many challenges that bar them from receiving medical resources, support, aid and treatment.

Immigration status, lack of health insurance and language barriers are a few of the major issues that create a gap between Latinos and medical providers, she said.

“There has always been a challenge for Spanish-speaking individuals to get high quality, affordable health care in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs,” Ramirez said. She pointed to that statement as the reason why Alivio was founded more than 30 years ago.

Alivio Medical Center, which is based in Pilsen and has expanded to six community health centers, was built to bridge the gap between Latinos, especially those who are uninsured and undocumented, and medical professionals. While Ramirez said most of Alivio’s staff members are fluent in Spanish and/or another language, she recognized their cultural competency.

“We hold that very close to our hearts,” Ramirez said. “To be able to provide a service for somebody and they’re getting their information in their native language, the provider understands where these patients are coming from.”

As Ramirez continued to share the importance of bilingual medical advocates, she spoke of her own experience.

“I grew up bilingual. My mother spoke Spanish, very little English,” she recalled. “I remember when she was pregnant with my brothers. During her pregnancy, I would go with her to the doctors all the time, and I didn’t realize it then, but I was there to translate for her. I was 8 years old. And that’s just not something anybody should go through.

“It’s indignant,” she added. “You feel helpless, and you’re at the mercy of somebody else.”

Esther Corpuz, CEO of the Alivio Medical Center, mirrored Ramirez’s sentiments, offering more insight into the Latino community.

“Sixty percent of Latinos are front-line workers,” Corpuz said. “They’re [the] people that are working in positions that are minimum wage positions. They’re essential workers. They’re still working, and they continue to work.”

Despite obstacles, including the coronavirus pandemic, the will to work is embedded in the Latino culture, Corpuz said.

“That’s just how we’re made,” she said. “I say that because I was also raised [in] a very traditional Mexican household. We work. We don’t take [a day] off.”

Taking that into account, Corpuz said she is not surprised to hear from Latino patients, who have inquired about COVID-19 testing, when they can return to work. Whether it’s the want or the need to work, the overall pressure to step back into the workforce and fear from their employers make Latinos and other marginalized groups more susceptible to exposure, Corpuz said.

Corpuz went on to say that Alivio generally sees families that tend to be multi-generational or live in close quarters.

“Even if we tell them you need to isolate yourself at home, it’s hard to do that in a one-bedroom apartment with one bathroom. We find that when it affects one family [member], it’s affecting five or six,” she said.

COVID-19 is a threat to those with underlying health conditions such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases,” according to the news release from Alivio Medical Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death for Latinos.

When it comes to Alivio’s newly established COVID-19 testing centers, Corpuz said she and her staff are dedicated to “trying to be there” for patients from underrepresented communities.

Ramirez and Corpuz said fear already exists for Latinos and other minorities, and as an organization, Alivio Medical Center has worked – and continues to work – to eliminate that fear.

COVID-19 testings are available Monday through Saturday at the Alivio Medical Center in Berwyn, 6447 Cermak Road, and in Pilsen, 966 W. 21st St.

A doctor's order is not required, and the facilities will provide testing regardless of the ability to pay. Because drive-up slots are limited, individuals are encouraged to schedule a test. For more information, visit www.aliviomedicalcenter.org or call 773-254-1400.

“We’re really excited that we’re able to provide the service,” Ramirez said.