AUSTIN, Texas — As people return home from the holidays, Austin health leaders expect the demand for COVID-19 testing to significantly increase.
Austin Public Health (APH) told KVUE that testing sites were averaging about 160 people per hour last week, which was the most they had ever seen.
City testing sites closed from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27, but reopened Monday. In total, during the three days they were open from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22, APH tested nearly 2,500 people. They had more then 350 appointments scheduled for Monday, Dec. 27, and said that number would be higher since many people who get tested do not make appointments.
Here is where you can get tested for COVID-19 in the Austin area:
- Travis County Expo Center – Opens at 8 a.m. Monday
- Long Center – Opens 10 a.m. on Dec. 27, is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Dec. 28 to Dec. 31. Nomi Health will then move its testing center to the Toney Burger center starting Jan. 8.
- Dove Springs Rec Center – Opens on Tuesday
- Point of Care Health Services – Open all week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Once the Toney Burger center opens for testing, appointments are not necessary, but pre-registration can help speed up the process. To pre-register for a test, patients can text 512-229-9919 with “BACAISD” to fill out a contact form that will provide a QR code testers need to perform the test and deliver results. The form can also be filled out electronically, on site, using a cell phone.
At-home tests are another option, but might be hard to find. Here is a list of places to look for at-home tests in Austin.
Travis County leaders say they are still waiting to receive a new shipment of at-home COVID-19 tests, after all three of their community centers ran out of them on Dec. 22 when they distributed more than 1,300 in less than 24 hours.
Health leaders warn allergy symptoms should be taken seriously because it can be mistaken for the coronavirus.
"I can't tell you how many times ... based on case investigation with people who are sick, they're like, I thought I had allergies and it ended up being COVID," APH Chief Epidemiologist Janet Pichette said.
Workers at the Nomi Health testing site at the Long Center say they are happy more people are taking the initiative to get tested.
"We want to be out here, we want to be busy," said Les Cantrell, a COVID-19 tester with Nomi Health. "We want to, you know, get these people tested and taken care of because, what if they're having allergies one day and they don't know if they have COVID or not? You know, this is a good way to help get them moving their peace of mind."
On Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for Nomi Health said 28% of the antigen tests came back positive. Of those, 79% were fully vaccinated and 92% had symptoms.
On Tuesday night, that same spokesperson said 26% came back positive. Of those, 80% were fully vaccinated and 88% had symptoms. Wait times were reduced by half and more lanes will be added on Wednesday.
To sign up for a testing appointment with APH, click here.
Austin ISD will also have several testing hubs that will be open and free to any AISD student or staff member. Testing begins Monday, Jan. 3, and will run from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Friday at these locations:
- Akins Early College High School
- Eastside Early College High School
- Navarro Early College High School
- Northeast Early College High School
- Travis Early College High School
- McCallum High School
- Cunnigham Elementary School
- Kiker Elementary School
- Norman-Sims Elementary School
- Pillow Elementary School
AISD will also offer after-hours testing on Monday, Jan. 3, from 3 to 7 p.m. at its Central Office, located at 4000 S. Interstate 35 Frontage Road.
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