CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surging across North Carolina, Mecklenburg County health officials ramped up COVID-19 testing resources, but there are now questions if the increased support was too late.
Three new testing sites opened Monday and the health department plans to give out thousands of free at-home rapid tests Saturday, but it comes as the demand for testing in the Charlotte area seemingly dropped off.
Some doctors say these resources need to stay because even as cases fall and the community moves past the peak of the surge, there’s still a lot of COVID-19 circulating.
The pandemic has been a learning experience and moving into an endemic phase means certain lessons will stick around for health care providers.
“I think we at Novant, and other health care systems around us, have learned the importance of being nimble and pivoting quickly to meet the needs of our community and our residents,” Dr. Charles Bregier with Novant Health said.
When omicron hit and the need for tests was at its highest, finding a test was difficult. Lines were long and appointments were scarce as local providers did everything possible to ramp up resources. This week, relief finally came, with new testing sites opening and at-home test kit supplies being replenished.
“It’s a lot of moving parts to get these up and moving," Eric Kristensen with MAKO Medical said. "It’s a partnership with MAKO, the county of Mecklenburg, with the state. Now that we kind of crossed all those bridges we’re very adaptable.”
But now that the resources are here, is it too late? This week, demand seemingly plummeted.
“Obviously as we are seeing some encouraging signs that the peak is behind us, it is expected that demand would taper off as well,” Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington said this week.
Bregier said it’s too early to pack up because there will likely be a continued need for testing in the community.
“Because we don’t know where this going to end, I think it’s a good idea to take advantage of some of the testing opportunities that have presented themselves,” he said.
One of those opportunities is on Saturday at the Harper campus of CPCC and J.M. Alexander Middle School. The Mecklenburg County Health Department will be giving out free at-home COVID-19 tests and N95 masks. The start time has been pushed back to noon because of expected winter weather.
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.