One swab, two tests: Cary drive-in clinic tests for COVID, flu
'Tis the season for colds, flu and COVID-19, the so-called 'tripledemic' complicating holiday gatherings and travel.
Starting on Tuesday, Wake County and Mako Medical are making it easier to check those coughs and sniffles to see what the problem really is.
Jessica Dixon, infectious disease specialist with WakeMed says that cold, flu and COVID symptoms mirror each other and testing is the only sure fire way to know what crud you're dealing with.
Drive-thru testing for both COVID and flu is available Tuesday through 4 p.m. at Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church in Cary.
A single swab test can tell whether you have COVID, flu, both or neither.
"If you have any kind of respiratory symptoms – aches, headache or sore throat – you should stay away from people until your symptoms resolve," Dixon said.
"During the holiday season, you have a lot of people traveling state to state and overseas. With the gathering of heavy populations, more people are susceptible to spread COVID-19 and the flu," said Mako's Cameron Broadwell.
"With one swab at our labs, we can test for both."
The church will host another test event from noon to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29 and on Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. Tests are free, and results are available in about 24 hours.
The next few weeks could be critical in the national fight against three different viruses.
Across the country, COVID hospitalizations are up 7%, and deaths are up 15% in the last two weeks. Data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shows flu surging across the state, along with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Hospitals across the area like UNC Rex, WakeMed and Duke are treating hundreds of people for the flu or COVID.
"We are still seeing 100 positive tests per day for COVID on average," Dixon said.
Experts said the best way to stay healthy is to assume others around you are sick.
"If you're traveling nowadays, make sure you're wearing a mask," Dr. Hany Atallah, an emergency care physician at Emory University School of Medicine said. "Obviously, it's even better if you're wearing a mask and have a vaccine."
Public health experts fear a surge in respiratory viruses following holiday gatherings and New Year's Eve celebrations.
Another factor is the wave of flight cancelations sweeping the country. Large numbers of people are stuck in crowded, stressful settings at airports, which is a recipe for viral spread.
