Fairfax County brings back mobile COVID testing lab to try to help meet increased demand
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — In response to a growing demand for COVID-19 testing, the Fairfax County Health Department is bringing back its mobile testing lab.
The truck hit the road on Tuesday for the first in a series of stops planned for September and October.
"We are in high community transmission right now, and that means there is more COVID. It means more people are sick, and when you're sick you need to get tested, and therefor the demand for tests has increased," said Allyson Pearce with the Fairfax County Health Department.
The highly contagious Delta variant is certainly part of that increased demand for testing.
Another factor: more schools and employers are requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test before someone who was exposed can return to the classroom or to work.
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"People might be seeking tests for return to work, or travel, things of that nature -- there's jus a lot of different criteria for testing right now," Pearce said. "We've seen older adults, we've seen families, we've seen teenagers, you name it."
On Tuesday, the mobile testing lab was set up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside a neighborhood recreation center in Clifton.
"Michael is in second grade, and he got sent home sick for throwing up at school this morning, so we're getting a rapid test," said Irene Harvey, who brought her son to get tested.
The health department said sites were selected based on COVID-19 data in Fairfax County, with the mobile operation specifically being deployed in areas that have higher numbers of cases and limited testing resources or clinics.
"I'm fully vaccinated, no symptoms, but because of the Delta variant swirling around, and I spend a lot of time with my eight-year-old nephew and he's unvaccinated," said Laurel Shultzaverger, who showed up to get tested on Tuesday morning in Clifton. "Just want to make sure I don't have a symptomless case that I could pass on."
Appointments aren't required at the mobile testing lab, and both rapid and PCR tests are available.
"Rapid tests are recommended for individuals who are symptomatic, and they'll have their results typically within the day. And then the PCR tests we are recommending for people who don't have symptoms, and those results come within a few days," Pearce said.
You can find a full list of upcoming dates, times, and location for Fairfax County's mobile COVID testing lab by clicking here.
"I wasn't feeling well. I'm fully vaccinated, but started feeling a little bad yesterday and got progressively worse. I went online to see where I could get tested, and I looked at a few pharmacies around the area and it was a two or three day wait to make an appointment," Joe Pendergast said. "Then I went to Fairfax County's website and I saw I could come down here and get a test immediately."
7News did hear a few complaints about wait times for rapid test results at the mobile testing lab, but most of the people we spoke with said they were glad to have the option for walk-up testing.
Several said they'd like to see the Fairfax County expand access to COVID-19 testing even more.
The county's next mobile COVID testing lab will take place Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Grand Mart Alexandria: 6255 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, Va.
For more information, click here.
Currently, 68.6 percent of all Fairfax County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 62.3 percent are fully vaccinated.
