Skagit County COVID test site to temporarily shut down over staff shortage
Jan 15, 2022, 12:44 PM
The Skagit County Fairgrounds testing and vaccination site. (Skagit County Public Health)
(Skagit County Public Health)
A COVID-19 testing and vaccination site at the Skagit County Fairgrounds will be shutting down until early next week over ongoing staffing shortages.
King County purchases 300,000 COVID-19 rapid home testing kits
This comes amid an increased demand for COVID tests across Western Washington, with the omicron variant continuing to drive cases up.
According to the county, the fairgrounds site requires “a minimum of 15 staff and volunteers each evening, including traffic personnel, administrative staff, and registered nurses.”
“Without the necessary staffing, it just isn’t feasible to operate,” Skagit County Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson said.
With testing demand “still far exceeding availability,” the county is advising people to adhere to the CDC’s isolation and quarantine guidance, and to isolate for at least five days for those who are symptomatic, but unable to get a test.
The fairgrounds site is scheduled to remain closed until Tuesday, Jan. 18.
You can see a full list of testing locations at this link.
