UPDATED 3/14/2020 (testing info., resource links added) — As a precautionary measure, the Syracuse City School District has canceled all weekend programming at its schools until further notice. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, 100 Black Men of Syracuse has decided to remain in alignment with the district. Therefore, all Youth Empowerment Program activities, including the organization’s weekly academic program at STEAM @ Dr. King School, are immediately canceled until further notice.

Testing Center to Open at Community Health Center

Onondaga County Executive Ryan Mahon has announced a Coronavirus disease (COVID 19) testing center will open in Syracuse on Monday, March 16 at the Syracuse Community Health Center, 819 S. Salina St.

Mahon cautioned that this is not a walk-in test facility. It is intended primarily for those residents without a primary health care provider or health insurance. For those persons who are symptomatic or think they should be tested, they should first call the Upstate University Hospital Coronavirus Triage Line listed below. The hotline is staffed daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Everyone else should call their primary health care provider with questions or if they think they should be tested.

Stay Informed with these Coronavirus Info Resources:

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

• New York State Department of Health

• Onondaga County Health Department

• Syracuse City School District Coronavirus Page

• Syracuse City School District Meal Pickup Sites

• Syracuse.com Free Coronavirus Text Updates Sign-up Form

• Upstate University Hospital Coronavirus Triage Line: 315-464-3979

(for non-9-1-1 calls and those without health insurance or a primary health care provider)

• New York State Coronavirus Hotline: 888-364-3065

One Last Thing. Guard Against Stigma

Public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are stressful times for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can lead to social stigma toward people, places, or things. For example, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate a disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease. Stigma can also occur after a person has been released from COVID-19 quarantine even though they are not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others.

It is important to remember that people – including those of Asian descent – who do not live in or have not recently been in an area of ongoing spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, or have not been in contact with a person who is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 are not at greater risk of spreading COVID-19 than other Americans.

Everyone can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with others in our community.