Governor asks for more testing as COVID-19 cases rise

With both the number of daily COVID-19 cases and the percentage of positive cases rising, Gov. John Carney is asking residents to get tested so they know their COVID-19 status.

“We want to try to move both of these numbers down,” he said during a Sept. 22 press conference. “We need to make sure we're wearing a mask ... Let's put our masks on and really fight this thing.”

In the latest state data, the number of people hospitalized rose from 58 on Sept. 18 to 62 on Sept. 21 with 14 patients in critical care. There was one death posted on the Division of Public Health website on Sept. 21 – a 44-year-old New Castle resident with underlying health conditions.

A cluster of cases has recently emerged in college towns such as Newark and Dover, where students have returned to housing near or on campus. But some cases have also cropped up in private homes following gatherings, said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director.

“Our new plan really is focused on testing for everybody across the state, but when we see increases, we really want to lean into those communities,” she said.

AJ Schall, director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, said there are 19 permanent testing locations statewide that offer testing on weekdays and weekends. These include Walgreens and public service centers. Schall said about 10 pop-up community test sites will be held at various locations weekly, and at-home test kits are now available to residents. Information on pop-up sites is available at de.gov/gettested.

At-home test kits

The at-home test option is available for Delaware residents by going to de.gov/hometest. In order to participate, the site states, residents must have access to video telehealth through a smartphone or a video-enabled computer. Registration is done electronically and once a resident submits a request, they should receive a response within two business days.

The test itself is saliva-based, and before using it, a resident must contact a medical practitioner through a Zoom video call.

Packaging is included with the test kit, and it can be returned through the postal service at no cost to the resident.

DPH, however, notes that it will prioritize who gets the at-home tests, and it is currently targeting students at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University, and individuals who attended a recent rodeo in Bridgeville.