El Paso Health Department changing to 7-day a week virus testing after being closed weekends
EL PASO, Texas -- The El Paso Health Department announced Saturday night that it will begin 7-day a week operations for coronavirus testing after the department had been closed on weekends.
The department was on a 5-day workweek schedule with the Centers for Disease Control having a 72-hour turnaround for tests. However, El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez told ABC-7 he asked for that protocol to be changed to include weekends.
Early Saturday, a spokesperson for the department told ABC-7 that it was not testing for the weekend, which ABC-7 reported. But then, after a meeting with other officials, the city later announced it was in fact changing the schedule and testing would happen 7 days a week starting Sunday.
Dr. Hector Ocaranza of the El Paso City/County Health Authority issued the following statement Saturday night announcing the change in operations...
"The City of El Paso Department of Health is open five days a week with extended hours from Monday through Thursday. Because of the low number of novel coronavirus test submissions we received prior to this weekend, the schedule was effective in serving both the public and private healthcare providers. Area healthcare physicians and providers are the only entities allowed to submit COVID-19 samples for testing. Based on the increase in demand from these individuals, and the increase in testing due to a local presumptive positive case, we will begin a 7 day schedule starting on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Our Emergency Preparedness plans allow us to change schedules, re-arrange staffing, and we are using these strategies to best serve our community."
As of Friday night, officials said seven tests for the virus had been conducted thus far, with all coming back negative except one.
The individual testing positive was identified by officials as a man in his 40s who recently traveled to California. The man was recovering at home under self-quarantine, officials said.
Mayor Dee Margo has appealed to El Pasoans to remain calm, take ordinary precautions like hand washing and avoiding large public gatherings, and avoid hoarding of staples like toilet paper, hand-sanitizers and bottled water.
