TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As the number of COVID-19 cases goes up in Arizona, so does the number of people getting tested for the virus.
Folks with the Pima County Health Department say, the surge is alarming and they’re working to expand testing centers to fit the demand.
Pima County Health Department, Epidemiologist, Joe Tabor says the number of cases, deaths and tests are all going up.
“You know, we are concerned. To date for the 6th of January we recorded a little over 4,000 tests that we controlled,” Tabor told KGUN9.
This number doesn’t account for tests taken at hospitals and private doctor’s offices. Tabor says Novembers average came out to about 1,000 tests per day.
“So yes the trend is up,” he added.
What’s not up are wait times, that’s because folks still have to make an appointment online, on the Pima County Health Department website.
“And that way, people have very small wait times….five minutes. If you don't get there too early, you know, they’ll let you right in,” he told KGUN9.
Tabor says the health department is also trying to set up sites where testing is difficult to access.
“I know Green Valley, we’re trying to set up a public testing site there. Today I got an email from the Pascua Yaqui tribe and we’re trying to work with them so that they can set up testing with Paradigm,” he said.
They are working on adding sites for vaccinations. He says one will be at the Kino Event Center.
“Our goal is to vaccinate as many people as we can, as soon as we get the vaccine shipped to us,” he said.
Here’s Tabor’s message for Tucsonans:
“There’s a lot of community spread right now. We need to follow the guidelines. Wear a mask, socially distance, and that will help everybody,” Tabor told KGUN9.
