A new data note updates previous findings on the impact of COVID-19 on community health centers. This weekly update summarizes and analyzes survey data collected by HRSA, as reported for May 8, 2020. Key findings include:
- The percentage of health centers with the capacity to provide COVID-19 testing increased from 80 percent at the first report for April 3, 2020 to 90 percent as of May 8th.
- In the week prior to the survey, 127,816 health center patients were tested for COVID-19
- Among all health center patients who tested positive for COVID-19, 56 percent were identified as racial/ ethnic minorities.
- In 13 states, DC, and PR, minority patients accounted for at least 75 percent of those health center patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Health centers reported the temporary closure of 1,954 sites, or nearly one in six sites nationally.
- Compared to their pre-COVID-19 visit volume, health centers nationally reported a decrease of 43 percent in the number of weekly visits.
The data note was authored by Peter Shin, Rebecca Morris, James Hernandez, Maria Velasquez, Jessica Sharac, Sara Rosenbaum, Feygele Jacobs.