The media relations firm representing GoGetTested.com is pledging a better experience for area residents wanting to use the free coronavirus testing site at the Lyon County Fairgrounds than what many people dealt with Friday.
Trust Relations Vice President Sarah Thorson tells KVOE News there was an unexpectedly large turnout Friday, which resulted in a shortage of test kits and extended wait times. That combination prompted on-site staff to prioritize the remaining kits for people who had pre-registered and previously set appointments through www.GoGetTested.com/Kansas.
Thorson says adjustments have been made for Saturday and the rest of the testing schedule. More test kits and more staff will be on hand to help streamline the flow. Thorson says pre-registration will be highly recommended with higher demand expected as Christmas gets closer.
Thorson did not specifically address complaints about tests being of the saliva spit variety instead of oral swabs as indicated.
Turnout was heavy at the Fairgrounds for the first day of this new venture as part of the state’s unified testing strategy to get more Kansans tested for COVID-19 by the end of the year. Lines at times were 40 to 50 vehicles deep, leading to wait times of 90 minutes or more and prompting organizers to expand from one traffic lane to three to speed up the process.
Click here for additional coverage from Friday’s process.
Statement by Trust Relations Vice President Sarah Thorson
Today, GoGetTested was excited to open a COVID-19 testing site at the Lyon County Fairgrounds. We appreciated the welcome and the engagement from the community. Unfortunately, the unexpectedly large demand for testing resulted in a shortage of testing kits at the site and extended wait times for part of the day. As a result, the GoGetTested team decided to prioritize the remaining kits for residents that had pre-registered.
We apologize for the inconvenience incurred by Lyon Country residents negatively impacted by this experience. In order to efficiently serve the community, we have made some improvements to our operations in Lyon County. We will be increasing access to the testing site, adding more testing kits to our supplies, and increasing staffing levels to accommodate the high volume of testing. We will continue to welcome those without an appointment. We do highly recommend preregistering to help streamline the testing process, especially as we expect higher demand approaching the holidays.
Testing will be available daily from 9am-5:30pm through December, and we look forward to welcoming anyone who would like to be tested. We will be closed on Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1 to celebrate the holidays, as well as on Sundays.
