TH IISS WDSU NEWS AT 5:00. TRAVS:ER WE BEGIN WITH TEAM COVERAGE ON THE CORONAVIRUS IMPACT ACROSS THE STATE. MORGAN LENTES IS BREAKING DOWN HOSPITALIZATION DATA AS NUMBERS SKYROCKET. GINA: WITH THE CARNIVAL SSOEAN STARTING, AUBRY KILLION HAS MORE ON WHAT CAPTAINS ARE DOING TO KEEP THEIR BALLS SAFE. WHAT IS BEING DONE SO MORE PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THE TESTS? HARRIS:ON WE’RE RIGHT OUTSIDE A CHURCH IN ALGIERS THAT HAS HEARD THE CONCERNS OF ITS FLOCK. PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT HOW TESTING SITES ALL OVER THE VIEWING AREA ARE EITHER CLOGGED OR CLOSED, SO TODAY, THEY TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. >> I WAS LIKE, HOW AM I GOING TO GET A TE?ST HARRISON: MAIL CARRIER STACY TURNER SAID HER MONDAY WAS A WASTE. SHE DROVE AND WAITEIND LINES, ONLY TO LEARN THERE WERE NO TESTS LEFT. TODAY WAS ANOTHER DAY. >> SWAB YOUR NOSE, AND YOURE A OUT. HARRISON: SHE GOT A TT ESIN ALGIERS. >> I KNOW COVID WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON THE SE.RI HARRIS:ON --.RI >> THESE LINES ARE RIDICULOUS, AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. I BELIEVE IT STARTS WITHIN OUR OWN CHURCH. I JUST WANT TO HELP. ALL I WANT TO DO I BSE A BLESSING TO SOMEBODY. >> I THINK THEY ARE VERY VALUABLE IF THEY HAVE A SUPPLY TH EY CAN UTILIZE AND TARGET TOWARDS THEIR COMMUNITIES. I THINK THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE AND RELEVANT ROLE FOR THEM TO PLAY. HARRISON: ONE CHURCH IS NOT ENOUGH. IT IS HARD FOR MOST SITES TO GET TEST KITS, BUT SHE HOPES MORE CHURCHES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WILL FOLLOW GREARTE PROVIDENCE'’ LEAD WITH MORE TESTING EVENTS SOON. >> WE AREN I A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION NOW. HARRIS:ON TURNER’S RESULT WILL COME IN TWO DAYS. THAT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PEACE OF MIND SHE FEELS NOW, AND SHE WANTSTH OERS TO FEEL IT, TOO. >> FAMILIES WILL FEEL MORE SECURE. I THINK IT WOULD NOT BE AS CHAOTIC AS IT IS GNGOI ON RIGHT NO W.HARRISON: TESTING WRAPPED UP AROUND 2:00, BUT NOT BEFORE ALMOST 200 PEOPLE GOT TESTS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE GOT TURDNE AWAY. THE PASTOR TELLS ME THEY HAD SUCH A GOOD TURNOUT, THEY WILL DO SOMETHING SIMILAR LATER THIS MONTH. THE FIRST OF MANY EVENTS.
'A blessing': How this church gave 100+ COVID-19 tests without any long waits
Updated: 12:02 PM EST Jan 5, 2022
Doctors agree a nationwide test shortage is only worsening COVID-19's grip on the United States. But it's also inspiring community groups to act.Greater Providence Baptist Church in New Orleans gave roughly 200 tests Tuesday — no appointments needed. The event marked a welcome offering for people who have wasted days unsuccessfully searching for tests."I thank God for this, because it's been so hard to find testing," said Casey Turner, a mail carrier who needs a negative test before returning to work. "I was in and out in less than five minutes here. It was perfect."Pastor Javonte Jimcoily decided to offer tests at his church following his own recent ordeal with long waits and site closures."These lines are ridiculous," he said. "We have to do something. I believe it starts here with our own church, so that's all I want to do. All I want to do is be a blessing to somebody."Tulane epidemiologist Dr. Susan Hassig hopes more churches and community centers can follow suit, provided they can acquire enough kits to administer tests."If they have a supply they can utilize and target toward their communities, I think that's a totally appropriate and relevant role for them to play," she said.As for Turner, she expects to get her results in about two days. That's nothing, she argues, compared to the peace of mind she feels now — and she wants others to feel it, too."Families would feel more secure," she said. "I think it wouldn't be as chaotic as what's going on right now." 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
Doctors agree a nationwide test shortage is only worsening COVID-19's grip on the United States. But it's also inspiring community groups to act.
Greater Providence Baptist Church in New Orleans gave roughly 200 tests Tuesday — no appointments needed. The event marked a welcome offering for people who have wasted days unsuccessfully searching for tests.
"I thank God for this, because it's been so hard to find testing," said Casey Turner, a mail carrier who needs a negative test before returning to work. "I was in and out in less than five minutes here. It was perfect."
Pastor Javonte Jimcoily decided to offer tests at his church following his own recent ordeal with long waits and site closures.
"These lines are ridiculous," he said. "We have to do something. I believe it starts here with our own church, so that's all I want to do. All I want to do is be a blessing to somebody."
Tulane epidemiologist Dr. Susan Hassig hopes more churches and community centers can follow suit, provided they can acquire enough kits to administer tests.
"If they have a supply they can utilize and target toward their communities, I think that's a totally appropriate and relevant role for them to play," she said.
As for Turner, she expects to get her results in about two days. That's nothing, she argues, compared to the peace of mind she feels now — and she wants others to feel it, too.
"Families would feel more secure," she said. "I think it wouldn't be as chaotic as what's going on right now."
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