COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Haines. On Tuesday evening borough officials announced 16 new active cases, bringing the total to 41. The borough and SEARHC are expanding testing to include residents that are not symptomatic. KHNS’ Mike Swasey spoke with interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton about the outbreak and Wednesday’s drive-through testing program.
Fullerton – SEARHC is doing an asymptomatic drive-through testing clinic on Wednesday, August 11 at two o’clock, which will be located behind the clinic between the clinic and the AB Hall. It will go from two o’clock until closing or until they’re done. They will be charging people’s insurance for it. But if people do not have insurance, there will be no bill. So there shouldn’t be any out-of-pocket costs for anybody.
If people are not registered patients of search already, they will need to bring their identification and an insurance card. We will ask people to be patient and try to work with the healthcare officials. They’re working really hard to provide this clinic. They’re very tapped and very tired but have worked to provide this for the community. In fact, they’re bringing in additional health care providers to help with this clinic on Wednesday.
Swasey – That’s amazing. Are they doing rapid testing at SEARHC?
Fullerton – These will be the mailout PRC tests. And they will only call people if they’re positive. So no news is good news. But they will be encouraging people to check on my portal to see their results.
Swasey – About how long does it take for those results to come back? If you were to be positive?
Fullerton – I believe it’s three to five days. But remember, this is asymptomatic testing. So that’s why we are making that distinction, the symptomatic testing, they’re doing rapid tests because we need that information as quickly as possible.
Swasey – And are those still by appointment?
Fullerton – Yes.
Swasey – Alekka, would you tell me about the borough employee who was unvaccinated, got sick, and still went to work?
Fullerton – She had very, very mild symptoms, she did not feel bad. She just had a kind of a scratchy throat and honestly thought she had allergies. Then, when she started coughing more, we asked her to get tested. And she did and turned out that she was positive.
Swasey – So are you encouraging anyone who came in to pay a bill at borough offices to get a test?
Fullerton – No, because remember to be a close contact, you have to have spent more than 15 minutes within six feet of a person. And anyone who came into the borough offices to pay a bill or something would not have spent that kind of time in front of the staff person.
Swasey – Okay, but monitor for symptoms regardless, and if any symptoms occur, then go ahead and schedule the test?
Fullerton – Of course, that holds true for anyone in the community. Anyone in the community who is having any kind of runny nose, scratchy throat, coughing, any of the COVID symptoms to please just go ahead and get tested. Even if you think you have allergies or a cold or the flu that’s going around.
There’s also a stomach flu that’s going around. But one of the signs of COVID can be nausea. So we really want to encourage everyone to get tested. If they’re having any kind of symptoms.
Swasey – What do you say to the people that are not getting tested because they’re worried about the stigma of being a positive case?
Fullerton – I think that we need to encourage people to be helping us all get over this outbreak in our town. The sooner that we can get a grip on this, the sooner we can all get back to normal, whatever that normal looks like in these times of COVID.
Swasey – Okay, anything else that we haven’t touched on that we need to know about today?
Fullerton – I would just like to remind people that this is an illness. People who have contracted COVID are sick, so we need to remember that we need to support each other and be kind to each other and fight the virus and not each other.
Swasey – Okay, Alekka, thank you so much.
Fullerton – Okay, all right. Buh bye.
In addition to the asymptomatic testing in Haines on Wednesday testing is available at SEARHC by appointment for people with symptoms at 766-6300.
In Klukwan, free COVID testing is available from (Web: 10:15-11:40 AM) Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Klukwan Clinic.
Skagway officials announced an additional positive COVID test on Tuesday as well. Testing in Skagway can be done at the Dahl Memorial Clinic by appointment call 983-2255 to arrange. They are currently prioritizing symptomatic and close contacts.
Expect a call-back if positive, but no call-back if negative. There is currently no charge.
Skagway Traditional Council is also offering testing from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, or by appointment at 983-4068 at no cost.