BEAUMONT, Texas — The high demand for COVID-19 testing right now is causing a delay in some people getting their test results.
People said they're waiting four or five days to get their COVID-19 test results from Riceland Health.
One woman couldn't go back to work without proof of her status.
Penny Walker works for a home health agency, so she's required to know her COVID-19 status.
“They said, ‘You have to get tested and have a negative before you can come back to work,’” Walker said.
So, she drove over to Bob Bowers Civic Center to get tested by Riceland Health.
“They said 24 to 72 hours. So, I would probably have them by Monday,” Walker said.
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When Monday came around, she received no word on her test results. Instead, she was given a new time frame.
“It might be Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm like we have to go back to work,” Walker said.
Walker received her test results verbally but not formally.
“I still haven't gotten an email or anything in paper, tell me over the phone but my work wants the results, you know, in black and white,” Walker said.
Riceland Health co-chief operating officer Saad Javed said the cause of the delay is the uptick in COVID-19 testing.
“There was just a very large magnitude of the population that needed to get tested,” Javed said.
Riceland is contracted with Jefferson County to run this month's free testing. Javed said they didn't expect such high demand.
“Many of us didn't expect COVID to re-intensify in our community. It really is a terrible situation we have,” Javed said.
He said their testing policy has always been to call clients as opposed to emailing.
“Our priority is to make sure that we get in touch with those patients who are positive,” Javed said.
Walker hopes moving forward that Riceland will be more upfront.
“Well, they should have told me that it was going to be this long,” Walker said.
Riceland Health is releasing a new COVID-19 hotline to possibly help with the delay in COVID testing results.