Robeson County announces opening of two mobile testing clinics
LUMBERTON, N.C. (WPDE) — As of May 11, Robeson County has a total of 415 positive coronavirus cases. Health department officials announced they are opening two mobile testing clinics in hopes to flatten the curve.
The first mobile testing clinic site will open at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. The clinic will be available Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Robeson County's assistant health director feels the opening of this site will be nothing but beneficial to the community.
"The more opportunities we have out there, the better it is because it just opens up a door for more and more people in our county to be tested," said Melissa Packer.
The second clinic will be held at the Lumbee Tribe Housing Complex in Pembroke and will open on May 17th. That site will operate on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
North Carolina health officials say right now, 1% of positive cases are Native American. However in Robeson County, Native Americans make up 21% of the county's positive cases.
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After speaking with a member of the Lumbee Tribe, he sees these sites as a great step moving forward.
"It's important to know who has it because a lot of positive in the area are non-symptomatic, so this a step toward finding out if you have and we can help flatten the curve," said Patrick Strickland, the Lumbee Tribe Housing Complex program manager.
Robeson County health officials encourage people to register online. They plan to keep these sites open as long as they can or until they run out of supplies.
North Carolina officials say more than 9,000 people have recovered from COVID-19.
