With COVID-19 testing sites backed up, some school districts helping

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It is becoming tougher to get a COVID-19 test with many locations backed up and appointments filled.

At-home COVID test availability is shrinking as well.

"We're kind of in that no man's land where the original supply chains are drying up a little bit and it's transitioning to the federal program," said Clark County Health Officer Dr. Eric Yazel. "I do think that's made things a little bit tight."

According to Kentucky's state website, Jefferson County has 56 testing locations. That list shows all surrounding counties have between two and four locations.

Yazel says the case is the same across the river in Indiana.

"It's tight," he said of the testing supply as demand has increase. "It has been for a little while."

The supply and demand issue that Yazel and other health care officials point to arrives at what many consider the peak of the omicron variant.

With testing sites lacking, many local school districts have stepped up to expand the testing programs.

"We realized we did not have opportunities for our students or their families or for our staff and staff families to have COVID testing out in the community," said Shelby County, Ky. Schools Health Coordinator Traci Early.

Shelby County Public Schools partnered with county leaders to open a community location providing rapid tests for students, staff and their families.

School officials believe these expanded efforts help smaller areas that lack the resources for COVID testing.

"Our families have been very appreciative, and it's kept a lot of students able to come back to school that would've otherwise had to isolate much, much longer," Early said.

Health officials believe the issue could remain until supply increases. They say the hope is that the omicron variant is near its end.

"The peak with the new variant is really fast and really high, but once we get over the peak, it's drops very quickly," Yazel said.