Key Updates from the Health Center COVID-19 Survey (Week #20): Community Health Centers Tested a Quarter of a Million Patients for COVID-19

By Jessica Sharac, James Hernandez, Maria Velasquez, Peter Shin, Feygele JacobsAs the nation’s seven-day average of daily deaths exceeded 1,000 for at least 24 days in a row, 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 August 14th (251,246) was at its highest-ever level since reporting on patient testing began, surpassing a quarter of a million tested patients. Average turn-around times for COVID-19 viral test results continued to improve, as the share of responding health centers reporting waiting times of four or more days dropped from 47 percent as of August 7th to 39 percent as of the current reporting period. The share of health centers that reported average turn-around times of more than five days also dropped, from 23 percent as of August 7th to 14 percent as of August 14th. Still, less than two-thirds (61 percent) of health centers reported average turn-around times that met the Department of Health and Human Services acceptable standard of up to three days. Similarly, the share of look-alike health centers that reported average waiting times for COVID-19 viral test results of four days or more was 45 percent.The data note is available here.