Editorial: Everett testing site's closure means less certainty
Later this week, the tents at a pop-up public health testing facility at an Everett Memorial Stadium parking lot will come down and regular community testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus will end.
Not because victory has been declared over a viral pandemic that has isolated us in our homes and shut down large swaths of our economy; but because federal funding and supply for the community based-testing site in Everett and others like it in the state are ending and resources will be diverted elsewhere in the country.
Testing for the coronavirus will continue, said Heather Thomas, the communications director for Snohomish Health District, but future supplies of testing materials and capacity for processing tests will be focused on highest-risk populations, health care workers and first responders. Unless additional funding to resume the program can be identified, the testing that began March 23 and made available by appointment to the general public — who had symptoms of the disease and were identified as at-risk because of age, pregnancy or underlying health conditions — is likely to end Thursday.
Representatives with the federal agencies involved — the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Health and Human Services — met last week with public health and other officials to begin transition of the program to state and local agencies. The testing sites were always intended as a temporary program, but local officials had hoped for additional support while other potential funding was investigated.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-everett-testing-sites-closure-means-less-certainty/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=12503dfd5d-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-12503dfd5d-228635337