ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. — The Eastern Shore Health District is offering free COVID-19 testing Friday and Saturday to its residents in response to recent outbreaks at chicken plants in Accomack County.
So far, the Virginia Department of Health has reported more than 460 cases as of Friday.
A long line of cars had already formed outside Eastern Shore Community College even before the drive-thru clinic opened around 10 a.m.
“I’m happy to see this many people," said Jon Richardson, the chief operating officer for the Eastern Shore Health District.
"There were some folks who were skeptical about how many people we would get and we thought pretty strong that we would have a good showing and so far that’s proven true.”
The Virginia National Guard helped with administering the tests.
The Virginia Department of Health has 1,500 tests available for the two-day event. Of those 1,500 tests, 819 were administered on Friday.
Testing will resume from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, or until tests run out.
Richardson said this week, poultry plants tested about 3,000 workers. That does not include the people tested at the two-day drive-thru testing clinic.