• By Todd Luck
• Posted Friday, June 5, 2020

Forsyth County Public Health continues its COVID-19 outreach in Hispanic community

Forsyth County Public Health Director Joshua Swift detailed some of the county’s COVID-19 outreach efforts to address the growing number of cases in the Hispanic community during an update given to the Forsyth County commissioners during their June 3 meeting.

“Hispanic outreach continues with an increased emphasis on education about how to prevent COVID-19,” said Swift.

The Public Health Department has placed educational ads on local Hispanic radio and social media. Its Hispanic community liaison team continues to be Public Health’s boots on the ground, handing out cloth face masks and passing out prevention literature to the community. Additionally, the team participates in Facebook Live events with the Hispanic League.

Overall, the team visited more than 200 Hispanic businesses, stores, apartment complexes and other organizations in Forsyth County. They also met with local Hispanic pastors to solicit their help in getting prevention messages and education about resources to their congregation.

Dr. Reina Rodriguez has done and continues to do media interviews in English and Spanish. The interviews are aimed to promote COVID-19 prevention.

The educational materials the Hispanic liaison teams use are in Spanish and promote social distancing, staying home when sick, wearing a cloth mask, how to wear a mask, how and when to wash hands or use hand sanitizer, how to disinfect a home or business, and how to further prevent illness spread in the home. Additionally, the team distributes and can help with information about resources for mental health, food, and other needs.

Forsyth County Department of Public Health has a call line, 336-582-0800, which can direct any Hispanic community member to the Hispanic liaison team.

This is a part of Public Health’s comprehensive plan to address COVID-19 county-wide, which includes plans for additional outreach efforts using $200,000 of Coronavirus Relief Fund money recently allocated by county commissioners.