HOUSTON – Houston Health Department officials said the demand for COVID-19 testing is up, causing two of its testing sites to reach capacity and close early Wednesday.
Officials said the increase in demand is a positive sign that people are taking precautions before the holiday gatherings.
The department said they have more than two dozen testing sites all over the greater Houston area, with a 24-48 hour result turnaround average.
“It’s been at least since January of this year that we’ve seen this type of demand,” Scott Packard, Houston Health Department spokesperson, said. “Oftentimes the demand for testing coincides with a spike in cases. People see that the virus is circulating more actively and they go get tested. Which again, is a good thing.”
Wednesday, two of the Houston Health Department’s testing sites -- the Hiram Clark and Southwest Multiservice Centers reached their 250 capacity, forcing them to close early and directing people to other testing sites.
Packard said the department is prepared to expand testing capabilities if the need continues.
He also there are more than two dozen sites that people can go to, some walk-in and others appointment-based.
The department is working with partners such as Curative and the United Memorial Medical Center to test.
“All testing sites affiliated with the HHD all do PCR testing. That’s the gold standard test done in a laboratory, and we’re averaging 24-48 hours to get those results,” Packard said.
At the Curative-led site on Beechnut, there was a line at 5:30 pm.
“(There was a) long line today,” said Sharpstown resident, Christopher Waits. “I’m going on a trip. I’m going on a cruise in two days so we thought we’d come out and get this done.”
Waits said his travel required the test to be done.
The Houston Health Department said that they are working with the medical community to determine how it will respond to the Omicron variant.
“What we know now is that it seems to be much more contagious than previous strains of the virus that cause COVID-19, and that is a concern to everyone. We’re also learning more about breakthrough cases, people who are fully vaccinated that end up infected,” Packard said.
The Houston Health Department recommends people get tested before and after their gatherings.
To find out how and where you can get tested, visit https://houstonemergency.org/covid-19-testing/