by Charlotte Smith
Bladen County Health Department announced a collaboration with faith-based organizations and CommWell Health to offer two new COVID-19 (coronavirus) drive-thru testing sites for some of the most rural, at-risk populations in Bladen County.
Retired, Rev. Dr. Pearly Hoskins, assisted in organizing the drive-thru testing site at Baltimore Center located at 2104 Elwell Ferry Road in the Carvers Creek area. The event was held on Wednesday, May 27, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
The weather was wet and soggy, but the line was long with citizens waiting to for the COVID-19 testing. Tiffany Horne, Director of Nursing with CommWell Health was dress in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) out in the rain registering and testing those in vehicles. At 11:30 a.m., the team of 10 medical health professionals had already collected about 40 people, according to Horne.
The tests’ results will take three to five days to return, and the nasal swabs were already being analyzed onsite as the volunteers drove through. Horne said the CommWell Health’s team is distributing information about how to self isolate and information on treating the coronavirus’s symptoms.
There were 140 registered for the event, according to Dr. Hoskins. She explained the coronavirus is a serious illness and very transmittable/communicable.
Dr. Hoskins added, “People can become easily infected, so follow guidelines and keep hands washed.”
Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan stated there is no out of pocket expense for individuals during the testing events.
Booker T. Washington School will be the host site for the next COVID-19 testing event. The school is located at 66 Booker T. Washington Road in Clarkton, NC. The date of the drive-thru testing will be Wednesday, June 3, from 10:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Call CommWell Health 910-567-7114 for more information.
[slideshow_deploy id=’189631′]
About Author
