Rapid COVID-19 Testing for High Priority Populations Now Available from Whatcom County Health Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 3, 2020 

Media Contact: Claudia Murphy, WUC Public Information Officer 
Phone: (360) 815-2701 
E-mail address: [email protected]

BELLINGHAM, WA - Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD) is now operating a drive-through COVID-19 testing site for high priority populations in a partnership with Northwest Regional Labs. WCHD’s rapid testing team is responding to high priority testing needs with on-site testing at congregate living facilities for high-risk adults.

“By creating these opportunities for priority population testing, the Health Department aims to free up capacity at other medical provider or clinical agency testing locations for the public,” said Cindy Hollinsworth, Communicable Disease and Epidemiology manager at WCHD.

Testing at the WCHD drive-through site is only available by referral from a healthcare provider once the provider has determined an individual should be tested. Healthcare providers must order the tests from the WCHD directly; patients cannot request testing themselves.

High priority populations for testing by WCHD include people with symptoms of COVID-19 who:

• work in healthcare or public safety sectors;
• live or work in an institutional or congregate living setting;
• are employed in essential services, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, public utilities, etc; and,
• are at risk for severe illness (people over 60, people with underlying health conditions, and people who are pregnant).