– Unnamed Member, Tennessee Black Caucus
Even as Black and Brown communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, officials appear to be working at cross purposes to a national movement to ensure members of minority communities have access to testing by sharing the names and address of those who test positive with first responders—including sheriffs and police.
There are also concerns such information could be used by police to “red-line” communities where people are sick and as a result, police and other first responders may seek to avoid addresses where individuals have tested positive out of fear of contracting the virus themselves.
Requiring local boards of health to disclose the addresses of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to officials administering the response to emergency calls and, in turn, to first responders, is not sound public health policy.”
The IE Voice/Black Voice News questioned the California Department of Public Health regarding whether the state was sharing personal and specific COVID-19 test information with first responders including the police and/or whether it was aware of any counties sharing such information.
Riverside County Department of Public Health spokesperson Jose Arballo acknowledged, “We provide information to first responders (at least name and address) of those who have tested positive.
