Hit hard by COVID-19, a Sacramento ZIP code asks for help — and braces for a tough autumn
Even as local health officials express cautious optimism about gradual declines in COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations, residents and advocates in some of Sacramento’s hardest hit neighborhoods are bracing for a potentially precarious fall and winter.
The north Sacramento ZIP code of 95838 — including Del Paso Heights, Hagginwood and Robla — has had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the county per capita, an analysis by The Sacramento Bee has found.
Among its roughly 40,000 residents, about 900 have been infected, following a trend that has pervaded the pandemic in Sacramento: Densely populated, poorer communities of color have disproportionately borne the brunt of COVID-19’s health and financial impacts.
Fewer people are in hospitals with the virus in the county than during peaks in July, and fewer tests are coming back positive.
Sacramento County health chief Dr. Peter Beilenson said on Tuesday that the trends look good for the moment. “It’s the lowest number since May. We are cautiously optimistic. We don’t want to jinx it, but it looks good,” he said.
He is still concerned as fall sets in, with flu season arriving and schools likely to reopen soon, that a surge in infections is still possible. He particularly warned residents to avoid in-home get-togethers, group dinners and parties as the weather gets colder and sends people indoors more.
With several states already starting to experience a growth in infections, and warnings from public health experts about a possible resurgence, many are calling on county health officials to shore up resources and investments now, while the community is ahead.
“Time and time again, the low-income community is disproportionately impacted,” said Councilman Allen Warren, who represents north Sacramento. “We have to scrape and scratch and claw to get resources and it never seems to be enough.”
The city has launched a new COVID-19 resource website to aggregate information about financial resources and social services. As of last week, county neighborhood test centers for free walk-in testing are now open in the mornings and afternoons. Local nonprofits are planning to re-up a social media campaign from the spring, urging residents to wear a mask to protect themselves and others.
And on Friday, the county announced a “community-based” partnership with The Center at Sierra Health Foundation and more than a dozen nonprofits to hire dozens of contact tracers and case investigators who can hit the pavement and reach residents across languages and cultural backgrounds.
Mutual Assistance Network, based out of north Sacramento, is set to hire at least three contact tracers to investigate outbreaks on the ground, said executive director Danielle Lawrence. It will be a critical way to reach residents directly with information and resources.
“I do feel there’s a sense of urgency,” she said. “When we look at equity and access, we’re one of the neighborhoods most affected.”
COVID-19 in low income neighborhoods
Health experts and community advocates have said a combination of factors has exacerbated the spread and severity of COVID-19 in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Homes are smaller, Warren said, and more residents are likely to live together under the same roof. Shanté Williams, who helps oversee the Robertson Community Center test site, has seen grandchildren and grandparents coming in together to get tested.
Health issues such as asthma — which disproportionately affect people of color because decades-worth of racist policies made healthcare geographically and financially inaccessible — can make some particularly vulnerable to the worst symptoms of the virus.
And many residents are essential employees that have continued to work, said Roberts Family Development Center co-founder Derrell Roberts, with jobs that can’t be done from home. Some can’t afford to take off work, even if they’ve knowingly been exposed or infected, and can’t risk seeing their hours reduced.
Roberts has had friends who have been killed by the virus and worries the next few months may continue to bring a cascade of devastating setbacks for his neighbors.
“We’re about to go into flu season (and) as the weather is changing, people will be more apt to being in close proximity indoors, that makes me a little leery,” he said.
In an area where nearly 80% of residents are non-white and where one in four live below the poverty line, it’s vital to keep up frequent and consistent messaging about social distancing, wearing a mask and proactively testing, said Shanté Williams, who helps oversee the Robertson Community Center test site.
Community organizations like Mutual Assistance Network are starting to plan a safe door-knocking campaign to emphasize precautions, Lawrence said, and provide more pamphlets and posters to businesses along Norwood Avenue and Rio Linda Boulevard.
“We’ve done outreach in the past where we’ve stood outside Foods Co. and handed out fliers,” Lawrence said. “That’s our responsibility, to look at different ways of sharing information with residents.”
The expanded hours at community test sites will allow busy mothers and children staying home for distance learning to pop over after school, Williams said, or encourage a full-time worker to stop by during their lunch break.
As the county continues to spend millions on more testing and outreach, and to prepare for a vaccine roll out, health officials and community advocates say they will remain focused on protecting particularly vulnerable communities.
“We don’t even know what winter’s going to look like, we just have to get ready,” Lawrence said.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 5:00 AM.