AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - COVID-19 cases are rising, hospitals are filling, and testing sites are staying busy.
“We know a lot of people have questions before they travel or gather with somebody...,” Dr. Mark Newton, MedNow Urgent Care owner, said.
Just last week, both AU Health and University Hospital reported some of the highest numbers of virus patients since the peak this summer, possibly the effects of the predicted surge from the Thanksgiving holiday.
So, with Christmas in three days, testing sites are ramping up too.
“We’ve been able to hopefully ease some people’s minds, and hopefully they will make some wise decisions over the holiday. Of course, now, we’re seeing it even more with the Christmas holiday coming up that people want to know before they’re around anybody,” Newton said.
Today, MedNow Urgent Care opened their first stand-alone COVID-19 testing clinic to accommodate the rush of people seeking tests, and the rush of patients avoiding hospitals.
“We also didn’t want any of our patients who have other urgent care needs...to have to wait or be exposed to people who might be asymptomatic carriers of COVID,” Newton said.
Since December 9, AU Health has completed over 100,000 tests at four sites. At MedNow, they completed around 185 rapid results tests before noon today, compared to the 150 or so they typically see before noon.
Newton says most people getting tested are asymptomatic.
“Many, many others, including a lot of our health care workers,” he said. “They want to be cautious before they go visit somebody and even if they’ve been quarantining for five or six days, they may want just the assurance that a test is negative.”
An assurance that this holiday will be a safe one.
The MedNow testing site is located down from their Urgent Care on Washington Road. They will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until Christmas.
Some of the other testing sites have altered schedules due to the holiday. Click here for more information about local testing sites and holiday operation hours.
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