Testing is one of the most important factors in fighting COVID-19 and Galveston County has been a leader in testing since day one of the coronavirus pandemic. This commitment to testing is ongoing today as COVID-19 antibody tests and standard COVID-19 swab tests are both available for free to residents of Galveston County.
Residents can call 832-632-6731 to schedule an appointment for either a COVID-19 swab test or antibody test with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).
According to statistics from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Galveston County Health District (GCHD), Galveston County is leading the way in terms of COVID-19 testing in the Houston region. As of 6/22/2020, 44,788 COVID-19 tests have been completed in Galveston County, equal to about 13.1% of the population.
COVID-19 testing has been accomplished in a number of different ways. The GCHD offered free drive-thru testing for residents across the county. The Texas National Guard and State of Texas has sponsored numerous one-day testing sites that have yielded high numbers of tests. Recently, Galveston County and UTMB have partnered to offer free COVID-19 swab and antibody testing to all county residents. All these efforts have been pursued along with parallel efforts by private doctors, medical clinics, and laboratories that have continuously expanded their testing capabilities.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases continues to increase in Galveston County and everyone must do their part to slow the spread of the virus in the community. This means practicing social distancing, wearing a mask when social distancing is not possible, washing hands regularly, and staying home and getting tested when sick.
