Same-day appointments appear to be booked at all 5 of Wake's COVID-19 testing sites as state adds new clinics

Wake County's testing sites will be closed on Friday for New Year's Eve, but appointments are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at all five sites on Saturday.

Since the sites reopened on Monday, people waited in their cars for hours for a COVID-19 test. Long waits and traffic backups were reported over the last three days, but this is the first time all week there aren’t same day appointments available.

WRAL News is reaching out to Wake County to ask if more appointments will be added to address the need.

The state Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday it will open several new mass COVID-19 testing sites after a surge in demand for testing after Christmas.

Starting Friday, drive-thru testing will be offered at PNC Arena at Gate E off Edwards Mill Road in Raleigh. No appointment is needed but pre-registration is required. There is no out of pocket cost for the tests, but testers will ask for insurance information. But, insurance will not be required to get a test.

On Monday, Five County Stadium, located at 1501 N.C. Highway 39 in Zebulon, will open to those wanting tests. Pre-registration will be required.

Both sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday on non-event days. The PNC Area site will be open from 7 a.m. to noon on game and event days:

Wake County is operating five testing sites in addition to the new COVID-19 testing centers added on Wednesday:

The county is asking the public to have their QR code provided in the appointment confirmation email ready so that staff on site can quickly scan it.

The church is only minutes away from the Kidd Road site, and no appointment is needed. Results won't come back as quickly, though, in 24 hours instead of 12.

The manager at Word of God Church's test site says they expect a rush later in the week as people begin planning their New Year's Celebrations.

Other locations, operated by the state also offer tests by appointment. Hours and registration requirements vary, so those seeking a test may have to try multiple sites before finding an available slot. Options are:

Those who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 should get tested 5-7 days after their last exposure to the virus.

DHHS released the following guidance for someone exposed to COVID-19:

The CDC said people who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they find out they were in close contact with the virus. If the test comes back negative, an unvaccinated person should get re-tested 5-7 days later or immediately if COVID-19 symptoms start to develop.

But, Dr. David Wohl, an infectious disease specialist at UNC Health, questioned more testing. Wohl said right now asymptomatic people are waiting in the long lines and people are testing too soon.

"There's a lot of folks out there who, if they get treatment, they can stay out of the hospital, but right now, treatment is scarce," said Wohl. "We are in a desert right now when it comes to treating COVID-19."

The need for testing continues to be in high-demand with events like WRAL First Night in downtown Raleigh requiring a negative test.

On Tuesday, county representatives said they broke a single-day record with 13,379 tests conducted. On Wednesday, county officials felt that record would be broken.

Cars were waiting in line for COVID-19 tests at 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning, hours before Wake County's testing sites even opened. At 9 a.m., the line at the Kidd Road site in Raleigh was over a mile long, stretching through multiple intersections all the way out to Sunnybrook Road and New Bern Avenue.

The line created traffic delays in the area, which showed up as yellow and red lines in traffic and navigation apps.

WRAL reporter Kasey Cunningham said Wednesday's line was the longest she's seen.

"We were in the line for a good hour and I was like, 'Yeah, this line is way too long.' [I] canceled the appointment to get it with my mom at the same time," said Nayeem Naimi, who attempted to get a test on Wednesday.