No coronavirus testing in Eatonville or Hannibal Square

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Tough luck Eatonville residents! The state of Florida won’t be providing coronavirus testing in your town, or to your neighbors in Winter Park’s historically black Hannibal Square community.

Data from around the country shows that the coronavirus pandemic is disproportionally sickening and killing black people. Testing is essential to slow the spread of the virus which 61,000 across the U.S.

The Florida Health Department was slow to offer testing at Camping World Stadium, which is close to Orlando’s historic Parramore community and downtown Orlando.

It’s shocking, though that the state has no plans to offer testing in Eatonville, the nation’s oldest black municipality.

When asked when testing would be provided for black residents in Eatonville and the Hannibal Square community, Health Department spokesman Kent Donahue, sidestepped the question in his response: “The Florida Department of Health in Orange County selected different COVID19 Drive thru testing sites in Orange County that not only focused on the areas that were in close proximity to high case zones but were accessible in underserved areas of the community.

“Not only were sites in east and west Orange County selected, the downtown area of Orlando in the historic African-American Parramore district was also selected.  In fact, we have hosted two separate testing days at all our locations to accommodate the need, including Parramore, at Camping World Stadium.”

Eatonville is nine miles north of Camping World Stadium. It’s a 20-minute drive in a car. Many Eatonville and Hannibal Square residents can’t afford a car. It would take them an hour to reach the stadium by car, and more than 2 hours to get there walking.

For more news from urban Orlando, click    http://www.32805OrlNews.com



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