New COVID-19 testing site opens at the Latin American Association

The Latin American Association (LAA) is offering free COVID-19 tests at its Buford Highway headquarters.

In partnership with Curative, a healthcare company, the LAA launched its new testing operation on Wednesday. PCR tests will be offered weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

With testing in high demand across metro Atlanta amid an omicron-fueled wave of infections, LAA leadership says it made sense to open a testing site, which will remain operational for at least five months.

“We have been hearing that people haven’t been getting tested because they’ve had a hard time finding places to get tested … We opened this testing site to ease that struggle,” said Nadia Hoefel, managing director of operations at the LAA. “We’re here to serve our community when they most need help.”

In conjunction with the testing initiative, the LAA will coordinate vaccination clinics also at its headquarters at 2750 Buford Hwy., Atlanta on the following dates: Jan. 22, Feb. 2, Feb. 12 and Feb. 23.

In 2021, roughly 7,000 people were vaccinated at the LAA.

Lautaro Grinspan is a Report for America corps member covering metro Atlanta’s immigrant communities.