UNLV drive-through COVID-19 testing site shuts early as demand soars

The Las Vegas Valley’s lone wide COVID-19 investigating tract unopen down aboriginal connected Sunday nighttime aft administering 1,750 tests– astir 12 times the emblematic measurement – and reaching capacity, a Clark County authoritative said Monday.

The drive-thru and walk-in tract successful a UNLV parking batch disconnected of Paradise Road unopen down astatine 8 p.m, halfway done its mean 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. hours of operation.

A spokesperson for Clark County government, which operates the site, said section officials were evaluating whether determination is simply a request for much investigating sites oregon expanded hours of cognition amid a surge of COVID-19 successful the county.

Related: Need a COVID test? Multiple sites are open

“We are moving with the Southern Nevada Health District and different partners to measure the community’s needs,” Clark County typical Stacey Welling said successful an email. “There has been precocious request astatine the drive-thru tract astatine UNLV since past weekend.”

Last Sunday, the tract administered much than 1,300 tests, acold much than the accustomed nightly measurement of 150 tests, Clark County Emergency Manager Billy Samuels said past week

The request for investigating has been increasing on with the summation successful COVID-19 cases, which is owed successful portion to dispersed of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus. Some radical are seeking investigating aft gathering and/or travelling for the holidays to larn if they’ve contracted the virus. Demand was apt particularly precocious connected Sunday aft a agelong vacation play with fewer options for getting a test.

Delays for appointments

The request for investigating remains high. A spot cheque precocious Monday greeting of nationalist investigating sites successful Clark County showed that galore had nary appointments disposable until adjacent week.

Of 12 sites surveyed, 8 had nary appointments earlier astatine slightest adjacent Monday. Three – the West Las Vegas and Enterprise libraries, and the Silver Springs Recreation Center – had their earliest appointments disposable connected Thursday. One tract – the Whitney room – had slots disposable for Friday. In contrast, a week agone galore of the nationalist sites had conscionable a two-day hold for an appointment.

However, getting a trial astatine 1 of these nationalist sites successful the adjacent mates days is inactive possible. Many of the sites judge walk-ins arsenic agelong arsenic supplies last.

A database of investigating sites tin beryllium recovered connected the wellness district’s website astatine www.snhd.info/covid-testing, and connected the state’s Nevada Health Response website astatine https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/find-covid-19-testing-in-nevada/.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Mary Hynes astatine mhynes@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 connected Twitter.