BELL COUNTY, Texas — Two more testing sites are on the way to Bell County. This announcement was made Thursday by Bell County Judge David Blackburn, as he and other health officials held their weekly coronavirus press conference.
Bell County health officials said that as of Thursday, the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus still sits at 174, but that number may increase as more tests become available.
"For the Texans out there, just know that we are here and ready to serve,” said Rodrigo R. Gonzalez, Commander of the 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Houston.
On May 8, The Texas National Guard will be in Bell county to assist with testing for those who believe they may have the virus.
"I believe we have five or six testing sites across the county," Blackburn said.
The testing sites will be at the Troy and Rogers Volunteer Fire Departments.
"So it’s not a drive-up test sight,” Blackburn said. “You must make an appointment. My understanding is there will need to be some health screening before you're clear to get testing at that site.”
In March, Governor Greg Abbott activated more than three thousand Texas National Guard members to assist with Covid-19 testing.
“Obviously, our soldiers loved to interact with the citizens that are out there. There's no shaking hands, you know. People want to come up and thank them for what they're doing,” Gonzalez said.
So far, The National Guard has not only assisted with testing, they've also distributed close to seven million units of personal protective equipment and have helped several food banks.
Blackburn said more information about how you can make an appointment at those two testing sites will be sent out next week and as businesses prepare to reopen Friday they should carefully review the Texas Department of State Health Services and The Centers for Disease Control safety protocols. He also strongly suggested that business owners’ self-police the 25 percent capacity rule.
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