Health officials hope free walk-up testing Tuesday (7/7) and Wednesday (7/8) in Winchester will help give them a better idea of the local coronavirus infection rate and reduce its spread.
Experts agree that a lack of testing and contact tracing and a reluctance of many Americans to wear masks has contributed to the nationwide spike in the pandemic, which has killed about 130,000 Americans in just over four months, including 1,853 Virginians. In the Lord Fairfax Health District, which includes Winchester as well as Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties, 74 people have died from the virus as of Monday.
Matthew D. Cloud, emergency coordinator for the health district, is hoping testing will identify asymptomatic carriers. A study published on June 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine found asymptomatic people account for 40% to 45% of all coronavirus cases, and they can infect people for more than 14 days.
“They could be walking around our community not knowing that they’re positive for COVID and spreading it,” Cloud said. “That is the biggest benefit to our testing. By just identifying those people and breaking that link in the chain to prevent further spread.”
The health district held drive-up testing on June 8 in Woodstock. Cloud said 314 tests were done and about 10 people tested positive. Up to 300 people will be tested today and Wednesday in Winchester.
Officials hope minorities take advantage of the testing due to their high COVID-19 infection rate. Analyzing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics for 1.5 million coronavirus patients nationwide, the New York Times reported on Monday that Black and Latino people are three times more likely to become infected than white people, and they are twice as likely to die.
In Frederick County, the analysis found the infection rate was 17 for every 10,000 white people compared to 58 for every 10,000 Latino people. The analysis didn’t include statistics for Black people in the county.
Dr. Colin M. Greene, health district director, told The Winchester Star on Monday that the rate of diagnosed cases for Black people district-wide is 4%, and the death rate is 5% to 9%. About 31% of diagnoses in the district have been for Latinos, and their death rate is 12%.
Temperatures today and Wednesday expected to be in the 90s, so free water will be handed out at testing sites by the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley, and chairs will be available so people can sit down while they wait.
Cloud said the goal is to get people tested quickly while maintaining health protocols. The district has tested about 23,000 people and ranks 11th out of 35 districts statewide in testing, according to Greene.
Test results are expected back within 48 hours. Those who test positive will be notified first to reduce the chance of them infecting others.
Cloud said the walk-up testing is ideal for people who don’t have a primary care physician or a car, or those who live with someone with a pre-existing condition and are concerned about infecting them.
SOURCE: WinchesterStar.com