DETROIT - A Detroit lawmaker wants to make it easier for residents to be screened for COVID-19 by bolstering the city's telemedicine infrastructure.
Rep. Sherry Gay-Gagnogo (D-Detroit) announced the partnership with The Coalition to Integrate Technology & Education and Ortele Health as a means to bring accessible health care screenings to residents that lack the opportunity to seek it out on their own.
"Poor and marginalized people are contracting the virus at much higher rates than others," Gay-Dagnogo said. "We cannot leave our most vulnerable citizens with no way to protect themselves from this invisible killer. Higher survival rates are a result of early detection and treatment."
The "Virtual COVID-19 screening Program" will connect low-income residents with physicians that can assess their symptoms, determine the need for testing and produce a digital prescription necessary to receive a test.
Despite making up less than 17% of the state's total population, Detroit and Wayne County COVID-19 total make up almost half of Michigan's total number of cases. This disproportionate outbreak has hurt African Americans and families living in poverty the hardest, with more than a third of Detroit's residents living below the poverty level.
Combined with its proximity to an international airport, increased density of the city and the many underlying conditions suffered by residents have created a perfect storm scenario for Detroit.
"People who suffer from obesity, asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure are much more likely to die from this disease," said Gay-Dagnogo in a statement. "If we want to flatten the curve in Detroit, we have to make sure that everyone in the city that needs testing or treatment can get it."
The partnership kicks off today. Residents who think they may need testing can log onto mydetroitdr.com or test "Detroit" to 48-48-48 for an evaluation with no cost to the patient.