HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-25 Hawaii County Conducts Testing to Launch Mobile Unit -- press release
Roy Takemoto
Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai‘i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 961-8211 Fax (808) 961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy., Bldg C Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740
(808) 323-4444 Fax (808) 323-4440
November 25, 2020
NEWS RELEASE
Hawai‘i County Conducts Testing to Launch Mobile Unit
Hawai‘i County and its private partner Premier Medical Group conducted a COVID-19
testing session at the County Building on Wednesday as part of the launch of its Mobile
Testing Unit.
When the Mobile Unit becomes fully deployed with its three vans early next month,
testing teams will be able to rapidly go into vulnerable communities or remote
populations. They will be integrated into the already-established County drive-through
testing sites around the Island as well.
Along with the advent of the Mobile Unit, Clinical Labs is now able to process tests on-
island, thanks to a newly-arrived Panther Analyzer system that can process up to 1,000
tests in a day, with next-day results.
The Mobile Unit tested dozens of County workers at 25 Aupuni Street during a two-hour
session. Mayor Harry Kim lined up for his turn to get tested.
“This Mobile Testing is an expansion of the County’s testing program, because it adds
another resource to the community,” Mayor Kim said. “The Mobile Testing enables us to
expand testing as needed, and gives us great flexibility in doing it.”
The Mayor noted that Hawai‘i County leads the State in the coverage of the people of
Hawai‘i Island with its testing, with more than 22 percent of the Island’s population
tested already.
The County conducts a comprehensive testing program comprised of:
District testing – Large scale drive-through testing, open to the public on a
scheduled basis.
Targeted testing – Testing in an area of concern, but open to the public
Spot testing – Testing in an area identified as of specific concern. This testing
focuses on the population in the area of concern, and is not open to the public.
For further information, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.