BAY AREA BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION PROCLAMATION ENDORSING COVID-19 TESTING FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

THE BAY AREA BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION ENDORSES WIDESPREAD TESTING FOR THE COVID-19 VIRUS IN OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR SINCE OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES

WHEREAS: THE COVID-19 VIRUS PANDEMIC IS CONTINUING WITH CURRENT RATES AS HIGH AS 20,000 NEW POSITIVES PER DAY AND WITH IT KNOWN THAT THE COVID-19 VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED PRIMARILY FROM RESPIRATORY DROPLETS SPREADING BETWEEN PEOPLE IN CLOSE QUARTERS, AND THAT INFECTED DROPLETS FLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED WHEN COUGHING, SNEEZING OR TALKING, HENCE THE COVID-19 VIRUS SPREADS VERY EASILY AND SUSTAINABLY BETWEEN PEOPLE

WHEREAS: WE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS ONE IN WHICH UNDERLYING HEALTH DISPARITIES HAVE PUT OUR COMMUNITIES AT GREATER RISKS FOR DIRE CONSEQUENCES AND FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO COVID-19, WE IN THE BAY AREA BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION VIEW WIDESPREAD TESTING FOR COVID-19 AS OF URGENT AND NECESSARY STEP TO CURB THIS ONGOING PANDEMIC

WHEREAS: TESTING CURRENTLY ADMINISTERED BY THROAT AND NASAL SWABS AND WHICH RESULTS WHEN GIVEN TO THOSE PERSONS TESTED INFORMS THAT PERSON AS TO WHETHER HE OR SHE IS NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE FOR THE PRESENCE OF THIS DEADLY VIRUS

AND, WHEREAS, ONCE A PERSON IS IDENTIFIED AS POSITIVE, CAN THEN TAKE ADEQUATE STEPS IN SELF-QUARANTINING FOR 14 DAYS, INCREASE MONITORING FOR SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF ILLNESS AND PROTECT OTHERS BY INFORMING OTHERS OF THEIR COVID-19 POSITIVE STATUS

AND, WHEREAS THOSE WHO TEST NEGATIVE ONCE INFORMED CAN BE REINFORCED AS TO THE NEED FOR CONTINUED VIGILANCE AND BE BOTH PROACTIVE AND TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES, SUCH AS, WEARING ADEQUATE FACE MASKS, ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING OF AT LEAST SIX FEET FROM OTHERS NOT IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS AND WASH THEIR HANDS FREQUENTLY

AND, WHEREAS: IT IS KNOWN THAT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ENGAGED IN RIGHTEOUS PROTESTS AGAINST LONG STANDING WRONGS AND VIOLATIONS SUFFERED BY US AND MAY THEREFORE BE EXPOSING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS TO THE COVID-19 DROPLETS, AND HENCE INCREASE EVEN FURTHER THE NEED FOR COVID-19 TESTING

AND, WHEREAS: THOSE WHO ARE TESTED MUST BE CONTACTED BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE THEIR RESULTS IN AS TIMELY A MANNER AS POSSIBLE THOSE RESULTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN 24-72 HOURS

AND, WHEREAS: THE BAY AREA BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION REALIZES THAT ONCE RELIABLE TESTING HAS HELPED DOCUMENT THAT 60-70 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS COVID-19 NEGATIVE IT BECOMES DIFFICULT FOR THE COVID-19 VIRUS TO SPREAD

AND, WHEREAS: COVID-19 TESTING IS ESSENTIAL FOR PREVENTION, CONTAINMENT AND TREATMENT OF THIS DEVASTATING VIRUS,

THE BAY AREA BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION, RESOLVES TO ENDORSE THOSE EFFORTS OF OUR LOCAL CITY AND COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WHO IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONCERNED COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CHURCHES TO PROVIDE FREE, EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND COMMUNITY FRIENDLY COVID-19 TESTING!!!