COVID-19 testing is making an unwanted comeback

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- COVID-19 cases across the state of Mississippi have risen again. The rise in the Delta variant is driving a rise in testing; that had slowed down after the vaccine became more readily available. Winston County Medical Center CEO Paul Black has encouraged people to get tested if they have symptoms even if they have been vaccinated. “It’s better to know that you don’t have covid than to have covid and be out and about spreading it,” said Black. With rising case numbers the Winston County Medical Center reopened its Respiratory Clinic for drive-through testing to anyone that felt they may have COVID-19 symptoms. “We just opened our respiratory center back up we had closed it for about, unfortunately, six weeks, we kind of thought we were out of the woods, but with this spike, we’re seeing right now we felt it best to go ahead and get it back open,” said Black. Black felt that the vaccine will slow down the number of people being tested, and they have a plan for that as staff and students are preparing to go back to school. “We’re actually offering vaccines to the schools this week. I believe we’re doing that at several locations in Winston County just trying to go to them and for those that want a vaccine we’re going to give it to them,” said Black. Testing will continue at the Respiratory Clinic until numbers ease.