The mayor of National City announced on Wednesday a strengthened partnership with health care providers and the county to increase efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
With the city saying testing, tracking and treatment are all keys in effectively combatting the novel coronavirus, National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis shared that residents would be tested based on what category they fall on.
The county is providing testing for four specific groups, which include the recommendation of:
- Group 1 - includes hospitalized patients and health care workers with symptoms
- Group 2 - "at-risk" individuals (such as the elderly, those with disabilities or with autoimmune diseases) with symptoms
- Group 3 - essential workers with symptoms
- Group 4 - mild symptoms in individuals who live in in high risk areas.
South Bay communities have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with National City, in particular, experiencing the brunt of the virus. On Monday, the county reported 235 positive cases in National City, placing its percentage rate of coronavirus cases at 377% for every 100,000 population, according to the office of Sotelo-Solis.
"This puts National City with the highest percentage rate in the county," Sotelo-Solis said at Wednesday's press conference. "This is very concerning and allows us the opportunity to be proactive with traditional and outside-of-the-box thinking with our response and our partners in addressing those growing numbers."
National City has taken steps to try to protect its residents from the virus, even becoming the first in San Diego County to mandate facial coverings for residents when out in public.
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Sotelo-Solis was joined by CEO of San Ysidro Health Kevin Mattson, CEO of Paradise Valley Hospital Neerav Jadeja and Barbara Jimenez of the San Diego County Health & Human Services.
