LINDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Because the Omicron variant continues to surge in New Jersey, so does the urgency to get a check.
CBS2’s Jessica Layton has extra on the struggles many have gone by way of to get one.
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A line of individuals about 100 deep in Linden, some saying they have been too sick to talk with CBS2, stood within the chilly on Wednesday night time, ready patiently for a coveted COVID check earlier than Christmas.
“This was initially imagined to be a peace-of-mind check so individuals may go see their households. It has shortly within the final week become I’ve been uncovered and I want a check desperately,” Metropolis Councilman John Francis Roman stated.
COVID VACCINE
Roman stated given the spike in instances throughout New Jersey — a report 9,711 infections Wednesday, alone — entry to testing in neighborhoods has by no means been wanted extra.
“Everybody on this line, earlier than they obtained right here, was looking out frantically for a check. So they should get extra assessments on the market. They should get them into the hyper-local communities,” Roman stated.
They’re utilizing the identical technique in Paterson.
“Our day by day an infection charge is within the lots of, which may be very regarding,” Mayor Andre Sayegh stated.
The town is extending hours for vaccination and testing this holiday week with its mobile outreach units.
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“We have now a variety of people on this group who go to work. If they’ll’t go to work they don’t receives a commission. So what can we do? We check them at nights,” stated Dr. Paul Persaud, of the Metropolis of Paterson Division of Well being.
The Omicron-fueled surge is stretching sources skinny. In Orange, Dr. Alexander Salerno stated he needed to shut certainly one of his places of work after each employees member examined constructive.
“The one saving grace, it’s delicate signs — retailer throat, physique aches, headache, runny nostril — not the shortness of breath, not the lack of style or scent,” Salerno stated.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
In South Africa, where the variant was first discovered a few weeks ago, day by day instances are declining, giving hope that nation is previous its peak.
Dr. David Goldberg addressed this while answering some of CBS2 viewers’ questions on the newest surge.
“The velocity of decline in South Africa may be very encouraging, however we’re a really completely different nation. So we hope so, however we are able to’t make sure,” Goldberg stated.
Again in Linden, town is hoping to get individuals their PCR check outcomes by Christmas Eve to allow them to have peace of thoughts as they rejoice with their households, or, in the event that they check constructive, start their isolation interval.
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CBS2’s Jessica Layton contributed to this report.
