ROCKINGHAM — Testing times for COVID-19 are being expanded due to increased demand, the Richmond County Health Department announced Friday.
Starting Sept. 20, testing will be available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m at the Health Department and a secondary site will open at Cole Auditorium on the campus of Richmond Community College Sept. 29 and run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Testing is free and no symptoms or referrals are needed, according to a press release.
The Health Department also reported 33 new cases on Friday, bringing the overall total to 6,633 since April of 2020. There have been 605 cases so far in September.
Richmond County Schools reported 14 new cases, all among students:
Five at Mineral Springs Elementary;
Two each at West Rockingham Elementary, Cordova Middle and the Ninth Grade Academy; and
One each at East Rockingham Elementary, Hamlet Middle and Richmond Senior.
RCS’ COVID tracker shows a total of 206 student related cases this school year, in addition to 30 cases among staff.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 7,905 new cases statewide, making the 10th day this month with more than 7,000 positive cases.
Hospitalizations across the state have been relatively steady, yet slightly decreasing over the past two weeks, with 3,573 reported COVID patients on Sept. 16.
FirstHealth reports that 87 of its patients are COVID-positive. The patients are from more than 13 counties in North Carolina and surrounding states.
Of those, 17 are vaccinated and 70 are not. All 10 patients in ICU are unvaccinated, as are the five patients on ventilators.
Earlier in the day, the Health Department reported the county’s 134th COVID-related death, making the eighth this month.
The Health Department reported Friday that 17,579 county residents have been fully vaccinated.
Both the vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna are available through the Health Department, where they are available Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays from 8-11 a.m. There is no charge and no appointment necessary.
Flu shots are also available Monday-Thursday from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. and Fridays 8-11.
