BALTIMORE — Building a healthy Baltimore, that's what doctors from Johns Hopkins are working to do with one mask at a time.
On Tuesday health experts went to Saint John AME church to hand out masks to ensure church members stay alive during the pandemic.
Doctors say the goal is to achieve more equity and eliminate health disparities. They explained the new COVID-19 sub-variant, called XB 1.5 is so far, the most contagious variant that’s hospitalized many people.
So, in an effort to better protect vulnerable groups experts from Hopkins began going into various communities to supply organizations with masks and other covid-19 preventions.
This month they focused on faith-based organizations. The church plays an important role in Baltimore–and they would like to see more precaution so no one has to worship in fear.
"We got grandparents coming to congregations and we want to make sure they leave with their spirituality and not with COVID, that's why we donate these masks. We gave away little over sixteen thousand to mosques, synagogues, and churches throughout Baltimore city and county," said Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins, Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Health Equity Lead, Office of Diversity, Inclusion, & Health Equity.
Church members from Saint John AME were thrilled to receive COVID-19 masks from doctors. Members of the congregation say it's comforting to have doctors leave the office and go into communities to strengthen relations.
"One of the things that I find very important especially as it relates to being a pastor and the congregation is that partnership with the community. So definitely feel very honored to feel very blessed to have that community engagement, community partnership," said Brandon Mcafee pastor of Saint John's AME church.
Staff from Johns Hopkins plan to continue mask donations until our community is in the clear from COVID-19.
Masks donated by the FXB Center for Health & Human Rights at Harvard University and the national nonprofit Project N95.
These community partners are in collaboration with:
https://heatcorps.jhu.edu/
https://www.medicineforthegreatergood.org/
Anyone in need of COVID-19 mask should contact mgg@jhmi.edu
