Meck County works to make COVID-19 testing available for everyone

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — On average, more than 35,000 people a day are getting tested in Mecklenburg County.

On Saturday, Channel 9 got a look at the county’s latest effort to test as many people as possible, and how they’re making it accessible for everyone.

“We want to make sure testing is available to everyone,” public health director Gibbie Harris said.

Cars lined up at the Valerie C. Woodard complex in west Charlotte for free COVID-19 testing. But Harris said the turnout was less than they expected.

“We don’t know why this is different today,” Harris said.

The testing was available for people who might have symptoms, those who have had contact with someone who is positive, high risk individuals, and those who may have been in a gathering recently.

Harris underscored why the testing component is so important.

“The more people who know their status, if they know they are infected, they can isolate from others, and we can reduce the spread in our community,” Harris said.

Some who test positive for COVID-19 not cooperating with contact tracers Some who test positive for COVID-19 not cooperating with contact tracers

As Harris has said before, there is widespread COVID-19 in the community and it’s going to be there for quite awhile.

Testing is one of the keys to getting control of the virus.

“We are still very much in an active COVID environment so people need to wear their masks, social distance and wash their hands,” Harris said.

Harris said there may have been a smaller crowd because more places are offering testing. She said that may be a sign mass testing events like this one aren’t needed anymore.

The event will also be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Cox Media Group