A group called the Minority Community Investment Coalition is continuing its work to control the spread of COVID-19.   Its focus is on minority and low income populations in the City of Erie.

At a news conference today, the coalition announced the creation of the COVID-19 Disparities Task Force. The task force will examine existing data and will monitor trends in COVID-19 statistics in five city zip codes.  As of July 21, 53% of COVID-19 cases in the city were in neighborhoods which the coalition serves.

"We're going to move the task force forward and try to come into agreement with what is going to impact and change this virus in those zip codes within our community,” said James Sherrod, Coalition Co-Founder.

The task force will also work to improve the screening and testing for COVID-19.  12 health care workers have been hired by the coalition to screen people for symptoms.

The coalition has many partners to make the task force successful.  Those partners include city government and the school district, health care agencies and professionals, also funding groups such as the Erie Community Foundation and Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.