FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KTFA) – “To set something up three weeks from now is not helping anyone,” says Ryan Cork with the Northwest Arkansas Council
Due to the Omicron surge having accessible COVID-19 tests is more important than ever.
“Being able to test and identify on the front end, we’d have a better recommendation on what they can do and what their family and community interaction should look like,” says Cork.
Tests he fears more people will start to put off with long drive-through testing wait times and hard-to-find at-home testing supplies.
“We have submitted a request to the governor’s office for 250 thousand at-home test kits.
Supple Cork says this will be in addition to the 1.5 million at-home tests ordered by the state. Test which could be available as early as this week.
“We will be providing two per person at different sites; if they are a family, they can pick up six,” says Dr. Jennifer Dillaha with the Arkansas Department of Health.
At-home testing kits aren’t the only effort their making.
“We are working with the Arkansas Department Of Health, who is working with the CDC to set up a mass testing site in NWA,” says Cork.
Cork says they’re hoping to get the mass testing site online as quickly as possible. In the meantime, he says you can get a PCR test at any hospital in Northwest Arkansas.
He recommends getting in line early in the morning or after lunch for the shortest possible wait.