Community-Based COVID-19 Testing & Surveillance Program

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The Community-Based COVID-19 Testing and Surveillance Program was established to provide: 1) free, rapid, and easily accessible COVID-19 testing options to Maui County community members, and 2) quick and reliable demographic, geographic, and epidemiological data to government officials for decision making purposes. Throughout a significant portion of 2020, Maui County residents had insufficient access to COVID-19 tests, due to testing supply or reagent shortages, loss of jobs and healthcare coverage, or living in rural or isolated areas. Additionally, due to Maui County’s isolated geographic location and the State of Hawaii’s shortage of CLIA lab space, COVID-19 tests had to occasionally be sent to Texas, or other parts of the USA, to be analyzed, delaying results by up to 10 days on some instances. The Program provides free rapid COVID-19 testing at locations in Lahaina (Mondays/Thursdays), Kihei (Tuesdays/Fridays) and Kahului (Wednesdays/Saturdays), and at other areas within the County on a rotating basis. As of March 27, 2021, 29,740 tests have been administered. 713 positives have been identified for a 2.40% positivity rate. Data is utilized in government decision making, such as closures, reopenings and other rule making, and the Program is also utilized to send mobile testing teams to clusters, housing complexes, and other areas of concern.