Forest Park COVID-19 testing proves popular - 13.1 percent of Clay County residents tested

IVY JACOBS photo - The Clay County Health Department and Indiana State Health Department, along with some help from the National Guard, free drive-up nasopharyngeal testing site for COVID-19 at Forest Park has had a steady flow of people participating in the procedure, which takes 10-30 minutes to complete and usually has results within 3-5 days. Clay City Goshorn Park will be the second testing site in Clay County, open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. from Sept. 1-5.

The Clay County Health Department confirmed more than 200 people had stopped by Forest Park to be tested for COVID-19 as Wednesday evening. The nasopharyngeal testing continues through today (Aug. 28) at 6 p.m.

Another testing site will be set up at Clay City Goshorn Park Sept. 1-5, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Please follow the signs at the park. The test, provided free by the Indiana State Department of Health, takes 10-30 minutes to complete. It usually provides results within 3-5 days, depending upon how close to the weekend a test is conducted.

Results for COVID-19 tests performed at ISDH drive-through sites will be sent by text or email, depending on the option selected at registration.

Questions about COVID-19 and test results may be directed to the ISDH COVID-19 Call Center at the toll-free number 877-826-0011 (available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily).

No appointments are necessary for Indiana residents at the local testing sites, who will need to provide proper identification to qualify. Those who can participate include: Over the age of 12 with symptoms, at high risk, over 65, is a diabetic, high blood pressure, heart or lung issues or other underlying conditions such as obesity, and is a contact of a confirmed case.

COVID-19 DATA for Clay County

As of Thursday, the Indiana State Department of Health reported that Clay County has 214 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic started in March.

Seven new cases have been reported since Monday.

A total of individuals tested, so far, is 3,464 (with 4,263 tested overall since the beginning of the pandemic) of the estimated 26,501 Clay County residents.

The data shows an estimated 13.1 percent of Clay County residents have been tested once, with 6.2 percent testing positive, and 799 people (making up the 4,263 number of overall tests) were tested more than once.

Five deaths have been reported overall. The remainder of the reported local confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the past six months have either recovered or are in recovery.

The ISDH reports the accumulative positivity rate for all COVID-19 testing in Clay County at 8 percent for Aug. 13-20, 2020, with an estimated 7-day rate of 5.4 percent.

The positivity rate for “unique individuals,” which does not include those tested more than once, has a 7-day rate of 8.5 percent during the same period.