Some residents in East San Jose may be getting a knock at their door from a group offering free at-home COVID-19 testing. As an outreach worker for East San Jose's Latino community, Maribel Ruiz has been going door-to-door to offer tests to members of the community.
Ruiz is a promotora, an outreach worker and organizer for the local Latino community with the group META, or Mujeres Empresarias Tomando Accion.
They're offering at-home COVID-19 testing to residents, through a program that was launched by Santa Clara County's Department of Public Health aimed at reaching the hard-hit Latino community, which makes up more than half of the county's total infections.
Although most people were interested and willing to get a test, some were still skeptical. For many Latino households, especially those that include undocumented residents, government mistrust runs deep, Ruiz told KCBS Radio.
Ruiz said that many people in the community have lost loved ones to the pandemic.
With local ties, the outreach workers have built up years of credibility, which has become invaluable as they ask residents to get tested.
But Ruiz said that she is still trying to find ways to show people that she can be trusted. She's used to telling people she talks to: "I'm from the community!"
But sometimes, their work can be a little easier. Ruiz's colleague and fellow promotora Imelda Bautista said that sometimes, residents even "called the other neighbors," and asked them "do you want to take the test?"
She explained that one thing that often wins people over is the familiarity she has with the neighborhood and the community.
"We are part of the family, we are part of the neighbors, we are part of the community," she explained.
Looking towards the holidays, Bautista said that she's optimistic that people will do the right thing and stay distanced. "Now we see the consequences, and then we have to be better."
After her outreach, Bautista's neighbors have continued to call on her for advice and information on testing.
