COVID testing site to add capacity as demand ‘explodes’ with case surge in Lexington

Demand for COVID tests has “exploded” as the Delta variant helps drive up positive tests in Lexington, and one popular site plans to add extra lanes to accommodate those wanting to be screened.

On Wednesday, the car line at the University of Kentucky Kroger Field testing site temporarily stretched down Alumni Drive as people waited to be tested.

A month ago, on July 11, 73 tests were administered at the site. Now, the number of tests sought and administered daily is almost 2,000, levels not seen since early 2021.

“Demand has exploded in a way no one predicted,” said Dr. Luke Murray, COVID director at Wild Health, which conducts the Kroger Field tests.

UK spokesman Jay Blanton said the university is monitoring the “increase in testing and testing demands by the community as part of our effort to increase the availability of appointments.”

Wild Health to add lanes, personnel at Kroger Field

Those wanting a test at a larger drive-through site had more options previously when other organizations offered them at a few other locations.

To keep up with demand at Kroger Field, Wild Health is going to open more lanes at the site, possibly as early as the end of the week, Murray said.

Wild Health is also adding hundreds of people over the next weeks for its operations at Kroger Field and at schools.

The company has gotten requests from school districts — including Jefferson County, for instance — for testing needed to open and operate.

At the same time testing demand grew at Kroger Field, Wild Health had a logistical challenge that impacted workers trying to move people quickly through the testing site, Murray said. When UK repaved at the stadium, it affected the previously anchored shelter protecting Wild Health workers, materials and equipment from rain, wind and heat. Equipment, for instance, couldn’t get wet. The site now has a makeshift cover.

Why the increase in demand?

Murray said the Delta variant is two to three times more contagious than the earlier COVID strain — even vaccinated individuals can get it, typically with less severe symptoms. Those who are unvaccinated are getting sicker more quickly, he said.

The Delta variant also has a predilection for the younger population.

Kevin Hall, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department spokesman, said around 11 percent of Lexington’s current cases are among children aged five to 17, concerning news as kids are going back to school this week.

Murray also said more tests are coming back positive. For example, one unnamed school system had 80 positives out of 800 tests.

“The percentage of people positive has been higher than at the peak of the pandemic back in January,” Murray said.

He said that after the Delta variant, another mutation could spread in the country. The region is not at herd immunity, for which 70 to 80 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated.

Latest COVID case numbers

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department reported 156 new COVID cases and one new death in Lexington on Wednesday and 114 new cases Thursday.

Hall said infections are increasing across Lexington as the Delta variant becomes more widespread.

“The start of July had a 7-day rolling average of about 10 cases day, compared to a 7-day rolling average currently at 130 a day,” he said. “The Delta variant is showing to be more contagious, meaning it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated, wear masks in public spots, practice physical distancing and stay home when sick/symptomatic.”

Hall said it is imperative for Kentuckians to continue getting tested.

“As cases increase and the Delta variant sweeps through the state, it is important for anyone who shows symptoms, especially if they’ve been exposed to a positive case, to get tested,” he said.

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 9:18 AM.