WBTW

Conway Medical Center, MUSC host Coronavirus testing site as Horry County becomes virus ‘hot spot’

CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Conway Medical Center and MUSC partnered today for a free Coronavirus testing site as DHEC now calls Horry County a “hot spot”.

The percent of positive tests in South Carolina now stands at 12.9%, compared to 2.7% about 2 weeks ago.

On its website, DHEC states, “When the percent positive is high, it may indicate that there isn’t enough testing being performed to capture how much disease is in the community and testing may be focused on people who are more severely ill. When the percent positive is low, it may indicate that more widespread testing is being performed and the percent positive may more accurately reflect how much disease is present in the community.”

In the state more, than 256,000 Covid-19 tests have been administered and today at Conway High School, a line filled the parking lot and spilled out onto Church Street of more who wanted to get a test.

“I know that it’s going around and I have a couple of friends whose roommates have just tested positive a couple of days ago,” Coastal Carolina student, Ilivia Horsfall said. “I haven’t been directly exposed to them yet, but I just want to be precautious.”

Horsfall was first in line at today’s pop-up testing site and waited more than two and a half hours, she said the wait is worth it to make sure she is not a silent carrier.

“I quarantined in Indiana for the first two months and came back down for work because I figured everything was opening up again and I felt like it wasn’t as severe down here as it was up north,” she explained. “There’s a lot more cases up north. When I decided to come back I wanted to be as precautious as possible because I work with children and I don’t want to expose them or their families.”

Stacey Mott works as a health educator at Conway Medical Center and said it was encouraging to see how many people wanted to be tested and hopes people realize even though the test is uncomfortable, it can help make a difference.

“Everyone who can get tested, the better,” Mott said. “With being asymptomatic, which means you may not show any symptoms, coming in and being tested, you’d be able to find that out and be able to visit your loved ones and actually know.”

Mott said everyone should continue to practice social distancing and be mindful of hand washing.

Conway Medical Center and MUSC will hold another free drive-up testing site at Conway High School on Friday from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M.

For more testing sites, click here.