LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A very busy COVID drive-thru test site is moving its location in the Las Vegas valley.
Clark County reported on Tuesday that due to a surge in demand the testing site that has been at UNLV for months is moving to Sam Boyd Stadium.
CORONAVIRUS: Nevada's test positivity hits 15.8% over last 2 weeks
Officials say the current site will close on Thursday and will reopen at Sam Boyd on Sunday.
Several viewers have informed 13 Action News about waiting hours lately for a test at the UNLV site.
Clark County Emergency Manager Billy Samuels said the county simply didn't predict the ferocity of the omicron surge.
"When you ramp up from 150 tests to 1,500 tests overnight in one location it's difficult," he said. "So, I do have one ask: be patient."
Samuels said the County has been in talks with other area agencies regarding expansion of or creation of testing facilities in the valley to take the pressure off of one centralized testing location, but staffing issues have caused road blocks.
"As we see with the fire service, police, restaurants, hospitals, tthe school district, staffing is hard to come by right now. We're doing our best to increase staffing."
The Sam Boyd facility is expected to handle 300 vaccinations and 1,200 tests daily, according to the county.
Upon relocation, the larger site will resume five nights a week, Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
In the meantime, county officials are asking people to utilize other testing facilities through The Southern Nevada Health District or NV Health Response.
