Rapid coronavirus tests make drive-thru debut in county
LYNNWOOD — In a first-of-its-kind program, the Snohomish Health District on Wednesday started conducting rapid coronavirus tests at a drive-thru site, with results ready in just 15 minutes.
Two Abbott Laboratories testing machines produced the speedy analyses. Other counties also received machines from the state Department of Health but Snohomish could be the first to use them, health district spokeswoman Heather Thomas said.
The new testing method means patients will get results in minutes, not days. But there are concerns about false negative results, local and state leaders said. And the machines can only process dozens of tests a day, far fewer than health officials think are needed to help blunt the spread of the virus which causes COVID-19.
“At 50 to 75 (tests) a day in a county of over 800,000 people, it’s not the silver bullet,” Thomas said. “… But it will hopefully speed the amount of time it takes to do case investigations and contact tracing by not having to wait for those labs for two to three to seven days.”
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