The impact of COVID-19 is affecting health centers on the front line rights now. Health centers are running short of PPE, in some cases reusing it and putting themselves and others at risk with no other choice; some health centers are appealing to construction sites for extra masks. Health centers were already operating on slim margins under the shadow of a major funding cut that happens on May 22.

“We are the shock absorbers for the hospitals,” said Chris Kaasa, Senior Policy Advisor for the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers, a state which saw the first case of COVID-19. “All of our clinics are focused on screening and triage and — where it’s available — testing.”  You can read the full blog post by visiting this link.