The City of Carson has been proactive in leading the way on health safety protocols and social programs for its community in the face of the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. Carson was one of the first cities to declare a health emergency; mandate that the public wear face masks, and replace its local bus service with subsidized individual rides.
In addition, Carson has funded several food programs for seniors and residents; Provided rental assistance to qualified residents; Developed its own city loan program for small businesses; And hired a consultant to assist Carson’s small businesses with applications for SBA and other federal and state loans/grants.
The city, in partnership with the non-profit USHealthfairs.org, opened the first free COVID-19 test site to offer testing for individuals who don’t have symptoms of the virus and haven’t had a known exposure. One of the city council’s goals in establishing this program has been to reduce the likelihood of employees and residents of Carson, or surrounding communities, from unknowingly spreading COVID-19 as asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic carriers. (This Carson site is the only non-LA County or non-LA City test site in the entire county.)
As of early August, well over 13,000 individuals have been tested since the COVID-19 test site opened in Carson a few months ago. Of the over 13,000 tested, approximately 75 percent are residents who may have been exposed to COVID-19. About 10 percent of those who tested were symptomatic. Most importantly, for Carson residents who tested positive, 13 percent were asymptomatic. If COVID-19 testing hadn’t been made available to them, they would have been unknowingly contributing to community spread.
To ensure that Carson employees were not unknowingly exposing co-workers and/or residents to the virus, last month the City required all its employees to take the COVID-19 test. Of the well over 300 employees who took the test (representing 100 percent of essential employees reporting that day), only two employees returned with a positive COVID-19 result. But most importantly, BOTH were asymptomatic. In other words, but for the free testing in Carson, these two asymptomatic employees could have unknowingly exposed others. But, as a result of their testing, they immediately went into self-quarantine to protect their co-workers, residents, and their families from being exposed to the virus.
Furthermore, the City implemented contact tracing immediately upon learning that these two employees tested positive. Because these two individuals and their co-workers had been so diligent in following the city’s established health protocols, no other employees were identified as needing to be sent home. The city’s employees took personal responsibility for keeping their co-workers safe.
“Even though we are not a county, if we were, Carson satisfies each of the criteria the State of California has established for counties to get off the watch-list and Carson would therefore not be on the state’s watch list, despite being in a region many identify as a hotspot,” said Mayor Albert Robles. “All our residents and employees deserve the highest kudos.”
Carson’s actions are particularly significant given the City’s demographic composition. Carson’s population is comprised of 24 percent African- Americans, 29 percent Asians, and about 34 percent Latinos. A recent UCLA study emphasized that Black and Latino residents living in L.A. and New York are roughly twice as likely as white residents to die from COVID-19.
The drive-thru testing center is conveniently located at the Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center, 801 East Carson Street in Carson, just west of the 405 Freeway. Its diagnostic tests are conducted by LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics and Fulgent Genetics Laboratories. Testing is by-appointment only. To schedule an appointment, residents and non-residents can register online at ushealthfairs.org. Through another leading effort, testing at home for Carson residents (65+) who are unable to come to the drive-thru is also be available upon request by calling (310) 952-1719.
“Carson’s status as the first City to do comprehensive testing is a testament to the leadership of the Carson City Council,” concluded Robles.
