People rush to take COVID-19 tests amid holidays and surge in new cases – FOX 10 News Phoenix

PHOENIX - As the nation gets closer to Thanksgiving amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many people are planning to travel or hold get-togethers with family and friends, and that isone of the big reasons why there's a rush on COVID-19 tests in the Valley.

According to doctors, besides the holiday season, there is another reasonwhy so many people are now getting testing, and that is because the state is seeing a surge in the number of new COVID-19 cases, people are getting concerned and they want to be on the safe side.

"Getting a lot more calls from people with kids in schools who had a scare and now needing to have their child tested,"said RayYoung with Terros Health.

Young says even though they are seeing a large increase in testing, there isnt a backlog, and testing wait times at his facilities are now down to about two to three days.Thats in comparison to the two week wait times from back in the spring months.

"The labs are better equipped to handle them,"said Young."I hear they are doing about 15,000 tests a day."

Young says one of the reasons why so many people are now deciding to get tested, some of them asymptomatic, is because of the holidays.

"Were hearing people are trying to decide whether to get together to go on these holiday trips," said Young.

Dr. Jeffrey Weber, Medical Director for InfusAble Care says he is seeing a similar trend at his office in Scottsdale, where they just started offering rapid 15-minute tests.

"The ability to make a more informed decision about what you are doing for the holidays. You can feel more safe and make a more informed decision about whats right for you," said Dr. Weber.

Whatever peopledecide to do this holiday season, Young says its important to practice kindness, as well as hygiene.

"Just be kind to one another," said Young. "Take care of one another. Were all experiencing this together and lets help one another out."

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People rush to take COVID-19 tests amid holidays and surge in new cases - FOX 10 News Phoenix