ASHEVILLE - Buncombe health staff are set to begin 10 weeks of free COVID-19 testing at permanent sites in the county with time specifically set aside for staff of local long-term care facilities.
Interim health director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore told county commissioners June 24 during a special board meeting that testing continues to increase in Buncombe and that, so far, free community testing — for which times and location have varied — has been successful.
From June 30-Sept. 6, the county will begin offering that community testing regularly in three locations.
“We’re trying to vary some hours, vary some days, hoping that it will become more accessible for people who work different hours,” said Mullendore.
Free testing schedule and locations
During those 10 weeks, every Tuesday:
- Testing will be offered in the Ingles parking lot at 2217 US 70 Hwy., Swannanoa.
- Testing will be available for long-term care and congregate care facility staff only 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Testing will be available to anyone 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Every Thursday:
- Testing will be offered at Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Dr., Asheville.
- Testing will be available for long-term care and congregate care staff only 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Testing will be available to anyone 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Every Sunday:
- Testing will be offered in the Allied Health parking lot at A-B Tech, Genevieve Circle, Asheville.
- Testing will be available to anyone 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Mullendore said the sites are close to bus lines. They will be predominantly for drive-through testing, but walk-up patients will be accommodated as well.
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There is no out-of-pocket cost for the testing, but those with insurance are asked to bring their insurance information.
Buncombe's guidance for long-term care facilities
Buncombe recently updated its guidance for long-term care facilities — which have experienced a devastating surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths — to recommend regular, baseline of all residents and health care personnel at local nursing homes regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of the illness.
More: Buncombe calls for regular COVID-19 testing at all nursing homes, regardless of symptoms
But some facilities have struggled to comply with the guidance due to a lack of resources and funding.
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Answering a question from the Citizen Times in a June 22 press release, Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services officials said that, out of the 35 licensed nursing homes and adult care homes in the county, they were aware of 16 that have performed at least one round of facility-wide testing, which included residents and staff.
"We know of others that actively are working through the logistics required to accomplish this testing," officials wrote. "Staff will continue to reach out to those facilities who have yet to do testing to see what barriers continue to exist and to encourage baseline testing."
Who should get tested?
Local officials also have asked that anyone who believes they may have COVID-19 use the county's digital self-checker at BuncombeReady.org to assess their symptoms and be connected to testing.
More: Coronavirus: NC Gov. Cooper extends Phase 2 through July 17, requires face coverings
In addition to Buncombe's community sites, testing is available through many primary health providers and at a growing list of clinics and urgent cares that also can be found at BuncombeReady.org.
Testing is now recommended for the following:
- Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
- Anyone (with or without symptoms) who is a close contact of a known positive case
- Anyone (with or without symptoms) in the following groups who believes they may have been exposed to COVID-19: Persons who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
- Persons who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g., people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions)
- Historically marginalized populations
- Healthcare workers or first responders (e.g. EMS, law enforcement, fire department, military)
- Front-line and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, construction workers, food processing plant workers, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain
- People who attended mass gatherings (protests, marches, rallies, funerals, parties, cookouts, etc.), particularly if they were in crowds or other situations where they couldn’t practice effective social distancing
Mackenzie Wicker covers Buncombe County for the Asheville Citizen Times. You can reach her at mwicker@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @MackWick.
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