People wait for hours for COVID tests in Annandale
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| People stay in their cars while getting a COVID test. |
Hundreds of people waited for hours at a free COVID-19 testing event at Annandale High School on Saturday.
The testing event was hosted by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Fairfax County Health Department. Those agencies are holding a similar COVID testing event tomorrow, May 24, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at Bailey’s Elementary School, 6111 Knollwood Drive.
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| People provide information so they can get test results. |
The testing events this weekend are part of a statewide effort targeting community hot spots, and both Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads have among the highest prevalence of COVID cases in Virginia.
The nasal tests were conducted by Mako Medical Laboratories under contact with VDH. People who’ve been tested can expect results within a few days, said John Silcox, communications director for the Fairfax County Health Department.
The goal is 1,500 tests per day. Everyone who showed up at Annandale High School was given a ticket, and once 1,500 tickets were distributed, that was it. People stood in line for several blocks along Medford Drive, while cars in line for drive-through tests snaked through the neighborhood. The drive-through tests were conducted under a tent in the school’s rear parking lot.
Silcox said people were already in line when he arrived at about 7 a.m. One person who’d been tested said he arrived at about 9:30 a.m. and waited in line for three or four hours.
Many of the people organizing the event and taking down people’s personal information were from Virginia’s Medical Reserve Corps.
The testing at Annandale High School and Bailey’s Crossroads is available to anyone at least 2 years old who has symptoms or who thinks they might have been exposed to COVID. You don’t have to be a resident of the community.
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| People in line for a walk-up COVID test. |
People planning to come to the Bailey’s Crossroads event don’t need a doctor referral, insurance, an appointment, or an ID card. There will be Spanish speakers on site. They do need to wear a face mask.
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department are holding a drive-through and walk-up COVID testing event on May 25, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at Landmark Mall (enter from Van Dorn Street) and a walk-up testing event at the Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, 3600 Commonwealth Ave., 10-6 on May 25.
12 responses to “People wait for hours for COVID tests in Annandale”
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At noon the line of cars stretched down Heritage to LRT and down to the beltway. And that was just cars coming from one direction on Heritage. I later read that they shut it down at 12:45, I'm sure most of those people were waiting for hours at that point. I guess they got a ticket to get tested tomorrow.
"both Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads have among the highest prevalence of COVID cases in Virginia." OK so that would be nice to know…
And thanks to Gross's poor leadership our district has become a depository of many unfortunate lives thus putting the rest of at risk in public places like grocery stores, home depot, parks, etc. This is not about not being empathetic, it is about the blatant disrespect for the rest of us in Mason by this supervisor. This is what a ghetto is and we live in one.
I’m surprised it took us all the way to blame penny gross for the covid pandemic. Well done.
COVID is not Penny Gross's fault, but the state of Mason is, too much concentrated section 8 housing and that is on her. The fact that there has not been much new development in our area vs neighboring districts to diffuse this concentration is because of her disdain for the middle class.
K
Anonymous does not have the fortitude to put their name on the post. Take it with a grain of salt.
Route 7 east, from Seven Corners down to Nevius Street, was virtually bumper to bumper in the noon hour today (Sunday). Insane.
No need to get tested. Herd immunity is what is needed. You can't hide forever. Unfortunately the old & vulnerable will continue to get sick & possibly die & the younger & healthier folks will eventually develop immunity. Sad but true. We are no different than a herd of buffalo.
Buffalo can't develop vaccines to save the vulnerable
How do you know there isn't a secret buffalo underground covid 19 vaccine testing lab??
Pretty sure old folks all eventually die – just like I will – and herd immunity is a great talking point, but an ounce of empathy in old Mason District wouldn't hurt either. I mean, it's a good thing we have poor folks and minorities so we can have someone to blame. Now we can pin Covid-19 on them as well! At least when Supervisor Gross retires, you can still blame all your usual bogeymen for how horrible this place is in your minds. Win for you!