By Jessica Sharac, James Hernandez, Maria Velasquez, Peter Shin, Feygele JacobsAs the daily U.S. COVID-19 case count exceeded a record-high of 77,000 and hospitals in several states have reached capacity to treat the surge in COVID-19 patients, the latest Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) COVID-19 weekly survey summary shows that the number of COVID-19 viral tests conducted by health centers as of July 10th (226,262) was at its highest level since reporting of patient testing began, and had increased more than 59,000 since the week before. However, while the number of COVID-19 viral tests conducted by community health centers has increased, so has average turn-around time for COVID-19 viral test results. Six in ten responding health centers reported average waiting times of four or more days, including four in ten health centers that reported average waiting times of more than five days. Similarly, more than half (53 percent) of look-alike centers reported average waiting times for test results of four days or more.The data note is available here.
Key Updates from the Health Center COVID-19 Survey (Week #15): Six in Ten Community Health Centers Reporting Average Turn-around Times for COVID-19 Viral Test Results of Four Days or More, with Four in Ten Reporting More than Five Days
July 21, 2020