Pushing free testing sites, DHEC says too few people in SC are being tested for COVID-19
As the number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases falls, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control officials confirmed there are fewer tests being performed throughout the state.
While the state averaged about 10,800 tests a day in July, it has seen a steady decrease in testing during August, according to DHEC data.
So far this month, labs have averaged about 8,170 tests a day, but some days have seen as few as 3,874.
The decrease in testing is due to fewer people wanting to get tested for the coronavirus, DHEC Director of Public Health Joan Duwve said in a statement. Long wait times for results at some private labs may have also contributed to the falling demand, she added.
Duwve urged residents to get tested if they think they may have COVID-19, a highly contagious disease that causes respiratory and other severe health issues in some people, while causing minor to no symptoms in others.
“Testing for COVID-19 is essential because it helps us identify people who are infected with the virus, whether or not they have symptoms, so that they can isolate themselves to keep those around them from becoming infected, especially those at-risk individuals who can experience severe, life-threatening illness if they contract the virus,” Duwve said.
Despite the lowered interest in testing, DHEC has continued to hold free testing events across the state.
As of Thursday afternoon, there are 141 mobile testing events scheduled across the state through the end of September, Duwve said. All tests performed at DHEC-sponsored mobile testing sites are free and do not require an appointment.
There are also 222 permanent testing sites across the state.
The decrease comes as lawmakers push DHEC to ramp up their testing efforts. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of state senators agreed on several recommendations, which included DHEC increasing their testing goals to 10% of the population each month, holding one testing event in each county each week, pushing DHEC to better advertise their testing events and making the state agency accountable to lawmakers for not reaching their goal.
“We continue to have ambitious monthly testing goals and we encourage South Carolinians to help us meet those goals by taking advantage of the testing opportunities available, even if you have been tested previously,” Duwve said in a statement.
Mobile and permanent testing sites can be found on DHEC’s website: scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-screening-testing-sites.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 11:29 AM.
