Family Health Center hosts community-wide COVID-19 testing event, after increase in demand
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — West Michigan health officials said there's a higher demand for COVID-19 testing in Kalamazoo.
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Kalamazoo Family Health Center President Denise Crawford said they’ve seen a spike in people wanting to get tested for the virus over the past few weeks.
“Prior to this week, it was a decline, so we had started to pull back in the large-scale testing events,” Crawford said. “We continue to offer it at both of our locations; but just when we thought we were slowing down, we saw that spike.”
Crawford attributes the increase in demand to the multiple, large gatherings occurring throughout West Michigan over the past few weeks.
“We usually have about 200 slots of just our general drive-thru testing and all of our slots for the week are already filled up,” she said.
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She said testing is key to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet testing needs, the Family Health Center is hosting a community wide coronavirus testing event in Kalamazoo on Thursday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its West Paterson Street location.
Crawford said an increase in those looking to be tested doesn’t necessarily mean there is a spike in cases.
Michigan’s chief medical officer, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, said the Kalamazoo region is seeing about 22 COVID-19 cases per million people each day.
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Crawford said anyone who feels any flu-like symptoms, including nausea, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, etc., should get tested for the virus immediately.
To get tested, call the Kalamazoo Family Health Center at 269-488-0804 to register. Center managers said test results should be available within 24 to 72 hours.
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