Over 1,500 tested for COVID-19 at Hilton Head event on Monday
Around 1,522 people were tested for the coronavirus for free on Hilton Head Island on Monday.
The testing event, held at Hilton Head High School, started at 7 a.m. and ran until 1 p.m. Cars were parked on U.S. 278 in the morning, and early arrivals waited up to three hours for a test.
After the initial rush, traffic evened out, and wait times were less than an hour. Three nasal swab stations were set up in the parking lot of Hilton Head Island Middle School.
People who were tested can expect results within 48 hours.
Originally, the event had 1,000 tests. After seeing the turnout, organizers requested another 575 testing kits. The testing event comes as Beaufort County is seeing record numbers of coronavirus cases, and restaurants are closing once again for safety precautions.
It took Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette reporters three hours to get to the front of the line for testing. Traffic was well-orchestrated around the school parking lot despite gridlock on U.S. 278.
Some were in line well in advance of the start time for testing, according to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Maj. Bob Bromage.
One driver told The Island Packet that her car was No. 225 in line at 6:33 a.m.
Around 8:45 a.m., S.C. Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort posted a video update on social media in which he estimated the wait time for a test at about 90 minutes to two hours.
Davis said about 500 people had been tested in 90 minutes.
Given the delays, “Make sure that you have gas, make sure that you have a crossword puzzle or something to do while waiting in line,” he said in a 9:30 a.m. update.
The drive-thru testing event was sponsored by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and Hilton Head Regional Healthcare.
It was open to people without a doctor’s note or appointment.
About 900 people were tested last Wednesday at the first free event on Hilton Head.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 8:32 AM.
