IMMOKALEE — Hundreds of people are finally being tested for COVID-19 in Immokalee.
This comes four weeks after an online petition was launched, demanding testing for farm workers who live and work in close quarters.
By the end of the day on Monday, the testing site in Immokalee had seen 645 people, and as people filed in to get tested, Nely Rodriguez was busy packaging masks to give them. She’s with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which has been trying to get the word out.
“We’ve been handing out fliers, we’ve been putting up posters all over town, and we’ve also begun knocking on doors to let people know that this testing is happening," said Rodriguez.
That outreach is working, with hundreds showing up to get tested, but more testing leads to new problems.
“As we test more, we do expect to have an increase in positive tests," said Department of Health spokeswoman Kristine Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth said right now, about 10% of people are testing positive in Collier County. The problem is, in Immokalee, when people test positive, they may not have anywhere to go.
"You’re talking about 8 to 10 people per trailer that live together, so there’s really no way for people to distance themselves, especially if someone comes out positive, and so we still have that concern," said Rodriguez.
Hollingsworth didn’t get into specifics, but she said the department has that problem covered.
“We do have isolation sites for those who do test positive, if they don’t have the ability to stay isolated at home. Again, this will be done on a case by case basis," said Hollingsworth.
But what the department can’t provide is financial help for anyone who can’t go to work.
“In our community, workers live day by day. They make just enough money to be able to eat for the day and just enough to be able to support their families, and so, if they are out of work for two weeks, who’s going to help them pay for the rent and other things that they need?" said Rodriguez.
That’s why the Coalition still has its petition up on Change.org. Not only are they calling for financial assistance for workers who test positive, they want personal protective equipment for people on the job.
“It’s also a matter of respecting and valuing this work that farm workers do. We can’t do anything to change how heavy and how difficult that work is, but we can do more to give them the sort of attention they need," said Rodriguez.
Tuesday will be the last day that the Immokalee testing site is open. It will test people for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
