Free COVID-19 testing at Olympic Stadium continues this month

By David Haerle The Daily World • January 15, 2021 3:30 pm
David Haerle/The Daily World Cars line up for free drive-through COVID-19 testing in Hoquiam on Thursday. More of these events will take place throughout the month.
David Haerle/The Daily World Cars line up for free drive-through COVID-19 testing in Hoquiam on Thursday. More of these events will take place throughout the month.

By David Haerle

The Daily World

Scores of cars lined up throughout the afternoon Thursday for free, drive-through COVID-19 testing near Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam. That free testing site will be open at various times during the rest of the month.

The site is located in the parking lot between Olympic Stadium and Washington Elementary School, near the intersection of Cherry and 30th streets. On Thursday, about 150 people were tested, county health officials said at a media briefing Friday, and the number has been ranging between 100 and 150 tests most days.

Over four days of testing last week, the 452 tests produced an 8 percent positivity rate, according to the department.

Grays Harbor County Public Health’s COVID-19 Incident Management Team will operate a community based COVID-19 testing site in Hoquiam throughout the month of January. The IMT will be at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam each Thursday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Testing will also be offered on the weekend of Jan. 30-31 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

There are no restrictions to be tested for COVID-19 during this community-based testing. This testing site is open to anyone who needs or wants a COVID-19 test. People under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by an adult. A valid phone number and address will be necessary; however, no identification is required. No questions regarding immigration status will be asked. There are no public restrooms at test site locations. Support for testing is available in both English and Spanish. This site will be both drive-through and walk-up with no appointment required. Please bring your own mask.

This testing operation has been made possible through CARES funding and the acquisition of community-based testing equipment by Grays Harbor County Emergency Management. Staffing consists of members from Grays Harbor County Public Health and local volunteers as well as a partnership with Medical Team International for supplemental staffing.

If you have any interest in volunteering at a testing site, please contact our bilingual call center at 360-964-1850. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m until 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Grays Harbor COVID-19 updates, including current case counts, are available at healthygh.org.