‘She stayed for 5 hours’; some El Paso testing sites still dealing with long wait times
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Covid-19 cases are surging in the Borderland. The spike is increasing demand for coronavirus testing.
Getting a Covid-19 test is one of the first steps in preventing an outbreak before it begins. If health leaders can identify a case, they can advise an individual to isolate before spreading the virus to others. However, some El Pasoans are concerned the roadblocks at testing sites are keeping some people away.
"My mother-in-law, she came like two days ago and she stayed for five hours," said Sofia Isais, who visited the state-run testing site at the SISD Student Activities Complex. She said her mother was having symptoms and was lying down in the car.
"We're here in the sun and right now it's early, but later on, it gets really hot," she said.
ABC-7 saw dozens of people in parked cars waiting for coronavirus tests. The line of cars continued outside the parking lot down the road and down Joe Battle Blvd.
It was a similar scene at the state-run testing site at the Nations Tobin Recreation Center. Some people waiting in their cars told ABC-7 crews the line was moving faster than before.
"As long as I get it done and I don't have to pay for it, I'm okay with it," said Ali Dempsey, who was waiting in the line that stretched around the park.
Thursday, El Paso leaders reported a record surge in new cases: 1,161. City and county leaders hope new testing sites, like the one at Region 19 Kenworthy Complex, will help alleviate the burden and flatten the curve.
That site opened up at 9 a.m. this morning. An hour later, ABC-7 crews saw just more than two dozen cars in line, a stark difference than the sites at Nations Tobin and SISD Activities Complex. It is being operated by the Texas Military.
Another state-run testing site hoping to ease demand has opened up at the University of Texas at El Paso. Long lines could be seen throughout the morning.
UTEP President Dr. Heather Wilson tweeted that the site had administered 801 tests on Wednesday, which she said was the most of any location in Texas. By Thursday, the site had divided traffic into two lines. One was designated for the public and the other was designated only for UTEP faculty, staff and students.
Some El Pasoans say the long wait times won't scare them away from receiving an essential test.
"It's understandable," said one man waiting in line at the SISD Student Activities Complex. "Everyone's trying to get tested."
Others worry that some people don't agree.
"They probably say, 'No I'm not going to get tested just because I'm going to wait so long," Isais said.
There are numerous sites available for the public to get a coronavirus test. Some require an appointment while others do not. You can find a complete list at this link. This information is updated by the health department as testing sites change.
