WEBSTER COUNTY, Iowa — Demand for COVID-19 tests is increasing in parts of central Iowa as the omicron variant continues to spread.
The need is so significant, the Webster County Health Department added extra clinics to get people tested.
This was to also help out the slowed-down local health system.
"[Hospitals] were seeing an increase of people going through the emergency room and through their express care clinic," said Tricia Nichols, the department's public health nurse. "And we had the capabilities and testing kits to do that."
This week, the county health department will be testing people Monday, Tuesday and Friday. That includes an extra day from last week when they were only testing on Monday and Tuesday.
Each day, their Health Department will be holding the clinic they can test 60 people.
Nichols noted she is happy to be doing this because it means people are actively trying to know their status.
"We appreciate the fact that people are trying to do the right thing, if they're not feeling well they're getting tested [and] are staying home from work and so we're happy to help," she said.
The Dallas County Health Department is also seeing their testing demand increase too.
Ann Cochran, their health navigator, said as a Test Iowa pick-up site, they usually give out 20 to 30 take-home test kits a day. That number following the holidays is currently 30 to 40 a day.
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And Cochran thinks it could rise in the coming weeks.
"We've had to order as many as two to three boxes at a time which is different for us, unusual," she said. "There's fifty kits in a box.
It's the same situation north of the metro, in Story County. Their need has doubled in the last two weeks, according to Treasa Ferrari with Story County Public Health.
She said they went from 20 to 30 test kits to 70 kits a day.
Local 5 did reach out to Polk County Health Department to see what their demands were. They are a Test Iowa pick-up and drop-off site, and Nola Aigner Davis said people pick up and drop off around 400 to 500 kits a day.
All of those health departments noted: if you did want to get tested or pick up a test, it's best to make an appointment.
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