August 20, 2020
Skagit County to prioritize testing at drive through site for those who live or work in Skagit County starting Monday, August 31st.
Today, Skagit County announced that beginning on Monday, August 31st, 2020, use of the drive through testing site will be limited to those who live or work in Skagit County. Those who do not reside or work inside the county will need to seek testing in their own communities or with through their medical provider.
“This was an extremely difficult decision for us to make,” said Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson. “We want to be good neighbors, but we’re in a place where our current testing level isn’t sustainable. In order to protect this vital service for Skagit County residents, we have to ask that those who do not live or work here seek testing elsewhere.”
Over the last three months, around half of the people using Skagit’s drive through testing site have lived in another county. The testing site currently costs around $60,000 per week to operate, and Skagit does not receive funding from neighboring jurisdictions.
“COVID-19 is going to be with us for a long time, and we have to be practical,” said Board of County Commissioners Chair Ron Wesen. “We are sworn to serve the people of Skagit first, and unfortunately, this action is necessary to preserve our local resources and sustain COVID response activities for the duration of the pandemic.”
A new screening station will be added to the test site to verify that patrons either work or live in Skagit County. Those who reside in neighboring counties, such as Whatcom or Snohomish, are encouraged to call their own county's Health Department about testing opportunities in their area.
The test site will continue to operate from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. No appointment is necessary, and the site will continue to test both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals who live or work in Skagit County. More information on the testing site can be found at www.skagitcounty.net/coronavirus.
If you have questions or need additional information, call Skagit County Public Health at 360-416-1500.
|
