KILLEEN, Texas — Texas is now seeing more new COVID-19 cases per day than at any other point at the pandemic. That makes testing more important but it's also harder to find due to a lack of test kits.
The Killeen testing site, at 505 E Jasper Rd., went from averaging around 20 people tested daily before Christmas to an average of 300 a day in the last week.
Killeen Emergency Management Director Peter Perez told 6 News that number is only getting higher.
"Every day this week we have had a large line at the former Nolan Middle School. Five, six, seven hundred -- it's been going up every day more and more. Last night it was over 700," Perez said.
The City of Killeen is working with the Killeen Independent School District (KISD) and the Texas Military Department to extend service at their first testing location this week and add a second testing location next week.
Perez said the Texas Military Department is providing much-needed staffing.
The former Nolan Middle School at 505 E Jasper Rd. will stay open tomorrow (Friday) and will be open from Monday to Friday next week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Starting Monday, Jan. 10, the Killeen Special Events Center at 3301 S. WS Young Dr., will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The location will be open four days until Thursday. It will offer drive-thou service for both tests and vaccinations.
The Texas Military Department will also be bringing more COVID-19 test kits next week. Killeen Fire Chief Kubinski told 6 News the city had enough tests to get this far because it started stockpiling around September.
"Back in September, trying to be predictive, we placed an order with ARPA funds," Kubinski said. "To have that backup supply ready to go in case of a surge."
The strategy paid off and Killeen still had a few thousand tests at the beginning of this week.
Perez told 6 News each site will be prepared to test between 500 and 600 people each day next week. He said the Texas Military Department would work with other state agencies to acquire those test kits.
Killeen hopes to keep those services moving quickly and is asking residents to have their ID, insurance, and other documents ready ahead of time. You can download those documents from the KISD website. Residents can also use a QR code to type the information into an online form.
Kubinski said the city was currently planning a week at a time and they didn't know how long the sites would stay open past next week.
The following will be available at both sites:
- Rapid Test
- Pfizer Adult (12 years and older) Vaccine to include booster (16 years and up for booster)
- Pfizer Pediatric (5–11-year-olds) Vaccine NOT including booster