Free COVID-19 testing site busy on opening day

An afternoon rainstorm did little to dissuade people from lining up at Park Side Credit Union for a free COVID-19 test last Tuesday. At points in the day, the line of traffic stretched more than a dozen cars long, snaking out of the parking lot. The Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce announced the COVID-19 testing site shortly before noon on Tuesday, just over an hour before the location would open, and by the end of the five hour window, more than 120 tests had been completed.

Drivers filed through one of Park Side’s drive-thru lanes and were greeted by volunteers and nurses who took down patient information, inquired about COVID-19 symptoms and gave instructions on how to complete the test. The testing site was designed to serve Bigfork locals who work with the public, but was open to anyone without COVID-19 symptoms.

Laura Franzina, who works at Stone Hill Kitchen, said she received notifice of the free testing service by her employer.

“I said, well maybe I’ll go get tested because I work in the food industry — and to protect clients and the staff too,” she said.

It was a bit of a wait to get her test done, Franzina noted, but said it was understandable given that last Tuesday was the first day COVID-19 testing was offered in Bigfork.

Jennifer Quien, a registered nurse with Flathead Community Health Center, said the testing process was simple, albeit a little awkward.

“You just go up the nasal passage about half an inch and then you swirl [the swab] around to grab anything that might be lingering in there, and you do that on both sides,” Quien said. ”You go up to a point where you sense that you might sneeze and that’s where you stop — you don’t need to go way up there.”

Results take between five and seven days to process, according to the chamber’s release, and patients will be notified of their COVID-19 status by phone call from the health center.

Quien said the patients she interacted with were appreciative of the testing, despite the wait.

“People have really appreciated having the service and they’ve been so kind with the process,” she said. “We’re trying to capture as many people as we can.”

Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rebekah King, who volunteered for the afternoon, said they had initially stocked supplies for 100 tests, but had to send for more due to the high volume of traffic.

She noted that the tests don’t show COVID-19 antibodies — evidence that someone has had the virus — but do provide a snapshot of a person’s status the day testing was conducted.

“The whole theory of community testing is you can identify and isolate a small outbreak before it explodes,” King said. “The purpose of this testing is to prevent community spread between the frontline workers.”

If a local worker were to become infected, she explained, “one, it will obviously hurt their income, but our businesses are so short-staffed that even having a couple people out for illnesses can be devastating.”

People can return for repeat tests each week.

“While you may not be positive today you might get exposed tomorrow,” King said.

Bigfork’s COVID-19 testing will continue operating on Tuesdays from 1-6 p.m. at the Park Side Credit Union drive-thru, with operating hours subject to change. Volunteers are needed to help with administrative duties such as asking patients questions related to COVID-19 symptoms and can contact the chamber to sign up at (406) 837-5888. ■