About a dozen vehicles remained in line Monday morning, Nov. 29, at the Shrine Building even after being told that the quick test was not currently available. The available COVID test takes 3-5 days for results. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — While global concerns are arising over a new COVID-19 variant known as Omicron, the other variant – Delta – continues to be the more immediate problem.

Six counties in northeast Indiana – all north or east of Kosciusko County – are now in the red category reserved for those counties with a seven-day positivity rate of 15% or higher.

Kosciusko County’s positivity rate currently sits at 14.98%, according to the Indiana Health Department COVID-19 dashboard. However, those numbers have not been updated since Nov. 23.

Above is a screengrab from the Indiana Department of Health’s two=week metric scoring that determines its color-coded status.

Wabash County, to the south, is also in the red with a positivity rate of 20.0%.

In Warsaw, the quick tests were still in short supply. The free testing site at the fairgrounds was only administering tests that provided results in 3-5 days.

The lack of quick tests became apparent Friday, Nov. 26, but it was expected to be a temporary lapse.

A short line of about a dozen cars was in line at the Kosciusko County fairgrounds Monday morning. An employee with Bowen Center, which is operating the testing clinic, was notifying those in line that the quick test was still not available.

The employee was alerting those getting in line at the fairgrounds of other local options for a quick test.

Walgreens is offering free quick tests, but appointments need to be made online.

The CVS in downtown Warsaw was not providing quick tests in the pharmacy and the store was sold out of quick tests.

Tests are also available through MedStat in Warsaw, but that requires an appointment  and  is not free.

Meanwhile, numerous nations, including the United States, recently began banning airline traffic from a number of countries in Southern Africa after the Omicron variant was identified.

Experts are suggesting it could take two weeks before they understand the variant’s level of transmissibility, how deadly it could be and whether existing vaccines will help prevent serious illness.

Motorists were in line to receive COIVID-19 tests Monday morning, Nov. 29, at the Kociusko County Fairgrounds. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

A display for retail test kits was emply Monday morning at CVS Pharmacy. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.