In the fight against COVID-19 in our region, a new partnership has emerged as testing numbers continue to decline. The Health Collaborative (THC) and Hamilton County Public Health are partnering with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, which will serve as another Test and Protect testing site.
Brian Isaac Phillips, Producing Artistic Director for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, stated, “We’re thrilled to serve our community in this alternate way and provide free COVID-19 testing in Over The Rhine.”
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company closed its doors last year as the pandemic surged, and has since pivoted to providing community services for local residents. In a space that would otherwise have sat vacant, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has already hosted blood drives for Hoxworth Blood Center, and will now be adding the Test and Protect brand to its community engagement.
“This new test site will provide much needed free testing to the surrounding community,” stated Sara Bolton, Senior VP of Programs and Services for The Health Collaborative. She continued, “Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is helping to keep the momentum and the importance of testing top of mind for residents, and this partnership will be another big win for the health and safety of our residents.”
The number of people getting tested in Hamilton County has dropped 75% since the Holiday season. Until vaccine uptake is far reaching, testing is our best tool for identifying cases as early as possible so we can stop chains of transmission before they spread through our community. Further, detecting infections through testing is one of the most important ways we can reduce the development of new and harder to control variants.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, located at 1195 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, will provide testing biweekly on Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00p p.m., March 19 through the end of May. For more details, visit the Test and Protect website.
ABOUT TEST AND PROTECT
Test and Protect is funded by Hamilton County, Ohio through the CARES Act. On-site testing is provided by the University of Cincinnati and UC Health. To find a testing location near you, visit the Test and Protect website.
ABOUT CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages. In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand-new facility in OTR. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach over 50,000 young people and underserved community members each season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the classics! More information: www.cincyshakes.com
