Fire district to begin testing for Covid-19 this Saturday

The fire district will begin offering limited testing of individuals beginning Saturday, April 11. Point Roberts fire chief Christopher Carleton told a Zoom meeting comprised of representatives of various Point Roberts organizations on April 8 that he had been given 100 kits for local testing.

Carleton said he would begin select testing on Saturday morning in the fire department’s parking lot on Benson Road. “I would like to do a cross-section of the population based upon age and starting with those over 80-years-old,” he said. Older people and those more vulnerable either due to chronic conditions or involvement in essential activities would receive priority in being offered the test.

Although the procedure by which people will be selected was not known at press time, it is expected that selected individuals would be notified and told to arrive at the testing station at specific times. Once they arrive, they will be tested while remaining in their vehicles by fire personnel wearing protective personal equipment including masks and eye protection. Those receiving tests will need to provide health insurance information to the district.

The chief told the Zoom meeting attendees that he intended to reserve 30-40 of the tests for fire district personnel due to their frequent contact with ill residents during medical aid calls. Responding to suggestions by Barbara Bradstock and others, Carleton said he would offer prioritized testing to essential workers such as employees at the Marketplace, gas stations and Nielson’s Building Center.

Testing is performed by pushing a swab stick up a person’s nostril to where it meets the throat and moving it horizontally to gather a specimen. Carleton described the procedure as “uncomfortable.” Samples collected will then be sent to the lab within three days for processing.

Speaking later at the fire district’s regular monthly board of commissioner meeting that also took place via Zoom, commissioner Virginia Lester praised chief Carleton’s work during the pandemic and said, “We all owe you a huge debt of gratitude for what you have done and the time you have spent doing this work.”

It is expected that Carleton will be sending a letter to the community using various social media means instructing residents on how to sign up for the Covid-19 testing. Stay tuned.