Key Updates from the Health Center COVID-19 Survey (Week #17): The Number of COVID-19 Viral Tests Conducted by Community Health Centers Dropped by Nearly 26,000 This Week, as Two in Three Health Centers Reported Long Waits for Test Results

By Jessica Sharac, James Hernandez, Maria Velasquez, Peter Shin, Feygele JacobsWith more than 150,000 COVID-19 deaths now recorded nationwide, approximately one death per minute, 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 24th (205,910) was at its third-highest level since reporting on patient testing began, but had decreased by nearly 26,000 since the week before. As in the prior week, two in three (66 percent) responding health centers reported turn-around times of four or more days, although the share of health centers that reported average turn-around times of more than five days dropped from 44 percent to 39 percent. Still, only one in three (34 percent) reported average turn-around times that met the Department of Health and Human Services acceptable standard of up to three days. Similarly, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of look-alike health centers reported average waiting times for COVID-19 viral test results of four days or more.The data note is available here.