Strong Demand For Testing Seen At Bowen Center
By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews
WARSAW – Free COVID-19 testing at the Bowen Center has quickly caught on in Warsaw.
In its first 13 days, the site provided 1,400 tests, according to Bowen Center CEO Kurt Carlson who participated in a media briefing Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Warsaw City Hall.
The testing site is expected to remain open through June of 2021.
The state predicted the site would see upward of 50 people a day. More than 100 people received tests on the first day, Oct. 15.
Tuesdays are proving to be the most popular day, Carlson said. On Tuesday, Oct. 26, the clinic processed 332 tests.
Saturdays are averaging about 88 tests.
The clinic is set up with dual lanes of traffic. The wait for some on Tuesday was as long as two hours, Carlson said.
“Every single person is so appreciative, so thankful, even if they had to wait in line for hours to get the test,” Carlson said. “That’s really heartwarming … that’s why we do this sort of thing – it’s for the people of the community.”
He said they are still seeking to hire people for the testing site, including bilingual individuals, and are seeking volunteers to help out.
“We truly need to staff up to meet this need,” he said.
The site is located in the parking lot at 2219 E. Dubois Dr. in Warsaw.
People do not need to be Kosciusko County residents to receive a free test. No appointment is required, and results will be sent by email or text within three-five days. Technicians at the site are bilingual.
Testing hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturdays 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Other on-going testing sites in the county can be found at MedStat and Parkview Warsaw.
The expanded testing comes at the same time that officials are seeing a record number of cases in the county.
The county reported 282 new molecular and antigen cases in a five-day period ending Tuesday. There were also four more reported COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 29.