Demand for COVID Tests Increases After Christmas Holiday

LANCASTER, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – Carolina Pharmacy in our area says its seeing 5 times more people wanting a COVID-19 test than just a few weeks ago, many of those results were positive as the Omicron variant continues to spread.

Staff Pharmacist, Dr. Taylor Fortson says just on Monday, two days after Christmas they had more than 800 people test for COVID. That’s a combined number between all of their locations. Adding the demand continues to increase during the holidays.

“We’ve seen a positivity rate up to 20 percent with a lot of the tests at our locations with people coming in with symptoms after being with family for the holidays”, says Fortson.

Staff Pharmacist Dr. Taylor Fortson says they are just about as busy as they were last holiday season when it comes to people wanting to be tested for covid.

“Before we just had a lot of people coming in for travel or getting together with a few people but now we are having a lot people coming in to get tested with symptoms or exposed to somebody that had symptoms”, says Fortson.

Fortson adding the new omicron variant spreads quickly and the most common symptoms experts are seeing is a sore throat, runny nose, congestion, and a slight cough. A fever and shortness of breath aren’t as common with this variant, says Fortson.

“I would say if you’ve heard someone has tested positive or has symptoms to go a head and get tested”, says Fortson.

In the video above, CN2’s Renee O’Neil learns more about the demand for tests.

Fortson says you can sign up online for a test by visiting: https://carolinapharmacy.com/carolina-pharmacy-rock-hill/

SCDHEC Testing Sites: https://scdhec.gov/covid19/find-covid-19-testing-location

 

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