Pandemic concerns lead to long lines for post-Christmas COVID testing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Lines formed at a drive-thru testing location as potential holiday exposures drive a post-Christmas rush for COVID testing.

Dozens of cars lined up Monday morning at the Bluewater Diagnostics drive-thru testing site off of Watterson Trail.

“We have enough staff but there’s a lot of individuals that need to get tested especially, I guess with the holidays, and being in close quarters with family members and things like that,” Bluewater Diagnostics Ambulatory Services Director Erin Elder said. “If they were possibly in contact with somebody that might have some symptoms, or family members that were positive, so they’re getting screened for that. And individuals not knowing what happened during the holidays, a lot of individuals we’ve screened, are doing it for screening just to be safe.”

Gary Williams drove his wife in for testing after she didn’t feeling well after Christmas.

“We know even with the vaccines you can still get the virus,” Williams said. “Hopefully the symptoms won’t be as bad. But we want to get her tested.”

Others in line lamented another holiday disrupted by COVID.

“We couldn’t get together Christmas,” Therese Flood said. “I have an immunocompromised grandbaby living with me. And my son’s in New York, he was supposed to come home for Christmas but he got COVID. So he couldn’t come home.”

It is still too soon to know the true holiday impact of COVID. UofL is bracing for a surge of hospitalizations that could materialize in the next 2 weeks.

“And that’s concerning because we’re seeing a number of positive tests, we’re also seeing a high number of tests,” Dr. Jason Smith, UofL Health Chief Medical Officer said. “And those are things that we saw previously.”

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