Every single Detroit resident who wants one can now get a coronavirus test, thanks to a combined effort from The Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO), Sinai Grace Hospital, and Wayne State University, as reported by local outlet FOX 2 Detroit. While tests were previously reserved only for people with essential jobs, those who had been exposed to the virus, or were showing symptoms, city residents can be tested today, April 28, with no prescription, symptoms, or essential job status required.
Tests are free, even if you do not have insurance, and no appointment is required. Residents can access free tests between 10 AM and 2 PM. Tests take place at the Sheffield Center Complex.
Towns and cities across the nation are slowly rolling out similar initiatives. For example, Somerville, Massachusetts, is working to launch on-demand testing, while Bolinas, California, is offering free drive-thru tests for every resident. San Miguel County in Colorado is doing the same. The initiative is especially important in Detroit given how hard it’s being hit by the virus.
Michigan reports that Detroit has had close to 8,700 cases and just under 1,000 deaths reported. As the Detroit Free Press reports, Black residents in Michigan make up 32% of all coronavirus cases and 41% of all related deaths. That’s in spite of being less than 14% of the state’s total population. In total, Michigan reports 3,407 deaths and 38,210 cases.
It’s impossible to discuss the impact of the virus on Detroit residents without acknowledging it’s a majority-Black city. While research is ongoing amid the pandemic, limited numbers released from cities and states across the nation suggest a disproportionate impact on Black and Latino people. There are a lot of possible factors at play, including comorbidities like asthma and blood pressure issues, as well front-line employment. Structural racism, however, almost certainly plays a role—comorbidities, for example, are likely linked to issues of environmental racism, and job status is likely linked to underinsurance or lack of insurance. And of course the implicit bias that impacts Black Americans when seeking medical care in general doesn’t help.
There’s been one more positive step in addition to the free testing as Detroit tries to curb the coronavirus pandemic: thanks to a coalition of donors working with Detroit’s public school system, 50,000 public school students in kindergarten through their senior year will receive not only free tablet computers, but also free internet access. That’s a big deal as schools go virtual and students struggle to not only access technology but to keep up with an additional utility expense.
