Demand for COVID-19 tests surges in Orange County
Two sites close early after reaching capacity
Cars poured into the Econ Soccer Complex Monday morning, its first day reopened as a COVID-19 testing site amid surging demand for results, this time driven by omicron.
But by mid-afternoon, both Orange County testing sites had reached capacity. The line at Barnett Park closed at noon and the Econ Soccer Complex closed at 3 p.m., county officials said. Both sites are capable of doing more than 1,000 tests per day, and people arrive early forming lines snaking out to Colonial Drive at both parks.
“Get here in the morning, that way you can guarantee you’ll get yourself a test,” said Delisa Craig, the county’s site manager. “I definitely would not suggest getting here at 3 or 4.”
At the Econ Park off Yates Road, the line grew down Central Park Avenue and east on Colonial Drive more than a mile to State Road 417. Some reported lining up around 8:30 a.m. on Colonial and received their tests about three hours later.
Both testing sites formally open at 9 a.m., seven days per week. Both are scheduled to be closed New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Bill Gompel and his family were in line at the Econ Soccer Complex around 8:40 a.m., and at about 11 a.m. they were nearing the front of the line. One of the five people in the car had battled a cold recently, so the family thought they’d be safe and make sure it wasn’t something more serious.
“Apparently the symptoms for omicron are like a cold, so we just want to be safe,” he said.
County officials said they could test about 200 people per hour and well over 1,000 per day at
Econ Soccer Complex. Craig said