U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PHILANTHROPY PARTNERSHIP AND VENTANILLA DE SALUD AT THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN SAN DIEGO BEGIN FREE COVID-19 RAPID TESTING AT CROSS BORDER XPRESS

This program is supported by the California Department of Public Health, Office of Binational Border Health, and the COVID-19 Testing Taskforce.

SAN DIEGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A collaboration between the Ventanilla de Salud program of the General Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) has begun providing free COVID-19 rapid testing to California-bound travelers, two years and older, at the Cross Border Xpress (CBX) facilities in San Diego, California.

"This partnership among the Ventanilla de Salud of the General Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership will continue to serve the unique community of U.S. and Mexican nationals who travel regularly in our binational border region," said Andy Carey, Executive Director of the BPP.

"I congratulate the Border Philanthropy Partnership, an ally of the Consulate in the Ventanilla de Salud program that operates daily at our offices, for having been selected to provide rapid tests at CBX," said Ambassador Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. "It is testament to their professionalism and commitment to our communities."

Funded by the California Department of Public Health, the initiative is supported by the California Office of Binational Border Health and the California COVID-19 Testing Task Force. The program will allow these agencies to track and monitor COVID-19 results, detect COVID-19 variants, and provide free in-home COVID-19 tests and educational materials to travelers entering California at the CBX international hub.

CBX operates a 390-foot enclosed bridge that connects its San Diego terminal with Tijuana's Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport, making traveling between the U.S. and Mexico convenient and fast. Staffed by bilingual outreach workers, this is the first on-site COVID-19 testing program serving the thousands of passengers who arrive at the Tijuana Airport and cross into California daily using CBX.

"We are glad to collaborate with the Ventanilla de Salud, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership to promote the safe recovery of tourism through our facilities for the benefit of the communities that we serve and all of our passengers," said Jorge Goytortúa, CEO of CBX.

About the BPP

The BPP is a binational membership organization whose mission is to support a network of organizations that build prosperity through leadership, collaboration, and philanthropy in the U.S.-Mexico Border region. For more information about the BPP, please visit www.borderpartnership.org. 

About the Ventanilla de Salud 

The Ventanilla de Salud is a program of the Government of Mexico developed by the Department of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented through the Mexican consulate network in the United States and local partner organizations. The Ventanilla provides reliable information on health topics, counseling, and referrals to available and accessible health services.

Media Contact: Susy Villegas
[email protected]
619-947-5742

SOURCE U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership