The first day of 2022 dawned full of promise Saturday, but for some Brownsville residents, this year began as ignobly as 2021 ended — with a line for COVID-19 testing.
At just ten minutes before 9 a.m., the line for the City of Brownsville’s free mobile COVID-19 testing center already zigzagged through and then out of the Brownsville Events Center down Paredes Line Road before turning onto C.S.R. Drive.
The two-day testing center began Friday, according to Dr. Arturo Rodriguez, Director of Public Health, and came about as a response to the demand for COVID-19 testing exceeding the testing resources available through Cameron County and the private sector during the holidays — peak time for the virus to spread.
“We acted because we continue to monitor all the activity at the hospitals — our role is to maintain our healthcare system infrastructure — and we were constantly hearing that people were rushing to the emergency rooms to get tested. That’s not the place to get tested,” he said.
To allow the ERs to remain focused on other emergencies, the city organized a testing center around New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to provide another source of answers for concerned residents.
The City of Brownsville uses PCR tests for their testing sites — in this case, a rapid version of the COVID-19 PCR test, which still maintains a lower chance of false negatives and positives than other testing methods giving better odds that they aren’t receiving an inaccurate test.
Almost 400 people received testing Saturday in just four hours at the Brownsville Events Center. With the recent back-to-back holidays, the number of people needing testing can expect to change as public health authorities observe what happens in the next few weeks.
The city is already in preparation to set up the Brownsville Events Center testing site for a longer duration this upcoming week along with The Port Clinic on State Highway 48 in addition to the limited number of testing spots already available Tuesday through Saturday mornings at the Brownsville Public Library-Southmost branch.
While this will make testing more available, Rodriguez stresses the need for residents to prioritize testing for those with active symptoms versus testing only to check if you aren’t already experiencing symptoms.
The city has ordered more testing supplies, but that number could run out quickly — leaving those most in need without answers.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that resources from Texas state agencies are under request to provide additional COVID-19 testing stations, with some of those opening in Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
The federal government has received a request from the Texas Department of State Health Services to supply the state with monoclonal antibody treatments, which have reduced hospitalizations across the state. In addition to three teams of medical personnel to provide additional support to hospitals in urban areas of the state that do not have DSHS-contracted staff.
Ahead of the governor’s announcement, Rodriguez said that city applied for state resources for COVID-19 testing last week before their event — that the state rejected a few days ago.
“So we went out and did it on our own,” he said.
“Maybe other communities are requesting just like we did last week, and the message may be getting through because they are seeing that the cities are doing what they need to do. That’s a step in the right direction.”
In the meantime, Rodriguez urges people to treat COVID-19 exposures as if they have it, self-isolate and take precautions.
The most important step residents can take is to continue to get vaccinated which will help prevent further spread and reduce the chance of hospitalization, officials say.
The city offers vaccinations each week at the Brownsville Public Library-Southmost Branch starting from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Saturday with further vaccine events to be announced on the City of Brownsville’s Facebook page.
