Surge in demand for COVID-19 tests

Over the next two days, the parking lot at the Saline County Health Department will be filled with residents being tested for COVID-19.

ACTION NEWSTESTING IS ONE OF THEKEY ELEMENTS FOR THEREOPENING PROCESS.THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTIN SALINE COUNTY,MISSOURI IS PREPARINGFOR POP-UP TESTING.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ EXPLAINS WHYTESTING IS CRITICAL FORTHE COUNTY'S ECONOMYTO SURVIVE.Andres Gutierrez/Reporting/During the next two day thisparking lot will be busy withfolks getting tested forCOVID-19.

The state is askingthe Saline County HealthDepartment to do the test.This area is now considered ahotspot for the virus.

But onlybecause there has been anincreased demand for testing.Callie Post/Director of CriticalCare atFitzgibbon HospitalIt's a lot for a small hospital.ENTERING ITS SIXTHWEEK FITZGIBBONHOSPITAL IN MARSHALLMISSOURI HASADMINISTERED MORETHAN 17-HUNDRED TESTSFOR COVID-19.......AND THE PATIENTSKEEP COMING.Callie Post/Director of CriticalCare atFitzgibbon HospitalWe have helped calm them,we swab them if they feel theyneed to be seen in ouremergency room, then wetake them right inTHE HOSPITAL ISPROVIDING CURB-SIDETESTING 24 HOURS, SEVENDAYS A WEEK.DEMAND FOR THOSETESTS SURGED WHENCOVID-19 HIT THE CARGILLAND CONAGRA PLANTS INTOWN.Angy Littrell/President & ChiefExecutive Officer of FitzgibbonHospitalWhen we first became awarethat there were cases in thoseplants and ramped up ourtesting, we saw almost 700folks get tested over thecourse of three or four dayshere.WHILE CARGILL HASN'TSHUT DOWN DURING THEOUTBREAK--CONGRA REMAICLOSED AFTER MORE 40EMPLOYEES TESTEDPOSITIVE.A SPOKESPERSON TOLD41 ACTION NEWS THEYINTEND TO STARTOPERATIONS AGAIN ONMAY THIRD.IN THE MEANTIME, THEYARE "WORKING WITHEMPLOYEES TO GETTESTED BEFORE THEYRETURN TO WORK AS AWAY TO REDUCE THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS INTHE FACILITY."Tara Brewer/Saline County HealthDepartment AdministratorIt's just another obstacle thatwe have to deal with, not thatanyone else doesn't.

But everyfactory, Every business hasbeen great to work with here.And we probably speak to thefactories or some businessesas far as it goes once a dayWITH TESTING APRIORITY--THE SALINE COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENT WILLCOLLECT SWAB SAMPLESFROM 400 RESIDENTSBETWEEN TUESDAY ANDWEDNESDAY OUTSIDETHEIR OFFICES.THE COMMUNITY TESTINGIS SIMILAR TO THE ONESTHAT BEGAN MONDAYIN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI.FOLKS DON'T NEED TOSHOW SYMPTOMS BUTNEED TO REGISTERAHEAD.Tara Brewer/Saline County HealthDepartment AdministratorAs a community we're justtrying to stay on the samepage.

That's the biggest thingbecause we are so rural.

Wedefinitely want everyone herein Saline County to be on thesame page as much as wecanIN MARSHALL, MISSOURI.ANDRES GUTIERREZ