Los Fresnos News

Mobile testing for COVID-19 ends in Cameron County

An area resident gets instructions from a health worker before administering a COVID-19 test at the Los Fresnos EMS/Fire Department building. Photo: Tony Vindell / LFN

By TONY VINDELL
LFN

LOS FRESNOS – Mobile testing for COVID-19 continues in Cameron County and the number of people registering to receive the countywide services averaged 30 to 40 per city where the tests were recently conducted.

A mobile unit was here in Los Fresnos from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26 at the EMS-Fire Department building.

The first person showed up right on time and left within minutes after being tested. Staff with the National Guard and health department were at the site giving instructions.

Interested persons had to be registered by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 512-883-2400, or by visiting the website at www.txcovidtest.org.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Walker said the National Guard was assisting the county with the program.

After a confirmation number was given, an applicant went to a site where he or she was told to pull over and have the vehicle window up until told otherwise.

Each person was given a mask and told to blow one’s nose with a tissue before the worker inserted a long swab into each nostril.

The procedure was rather uncomfortable though it took a total of 12 seconds.

The result of each test will be issued within a week.

A total of 35 registered for the test in Los Fresnos.

The days and hours were changed from two days to one day and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. instead of from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The tests were conducted at most county cities and ended on May 31 in La Feria.

The countywide test collections were conducted at a time when cities all over the country, including the Rio Grande Valley, started opening some sectors of the economy and the number of positive cases continues to rise.

By Wednesday of last week, Cameron County had 698 cases up from 527 cases the week before.