AUSTIN (KXAN)-- Testing company Curative, Inc. says it saw nearly 15,000 more tests before Thanksgiving than anticipated.
"We actually had to reroute a lot of tests to [Washington], D.C. and San Dimus [California]," says Stephanie Whittle, who is Curative's director of growth in Texas. The company has a third testing lab in Round Rock.
Whittle says they are seeing a major increase in demand across the state.
"Essentially, about a month and a half ago we were testing roughly 5,000 people per day throughout the entire state of Texas and now we are testing 35 to 45,000 people per day," she says.
Whittle says the company is expecting another uptick this week as Thanksgiving travelers look for that reassurance -- and then again around Christmas.
On Tuesday, the Texas Medical Association came out with a letter urging schools to test all students, if possible.
Dr. Gilbert Handal worked with the group's school reopening committee on the recommendation and says there are many reasons to get tested.
"The first reason, of course, is to avoid the infection to the staff and the infection of other kids," says Handal, who is a pediatrician based in El Paso.
But the group also cautions that testing is not a substitute for other safety measures.
"There are many reasons why we have to be cautious because we just don't know the behavior of the virus," Dr. Handal says.
Curative says it worked with Hays CISD to bring a mobile testing to their Performing Arts Center and is also working with San Marcos CISD to bring a testing van to Rattler Stadium starting Dec. 19.
"Our hope is that we can partner with every school, maybe on a back to school night when they come back from their holiday breaks," Whittle says.
Curative has more than 52 testing kiosks, vans and drive thrus across the state.
Whittle says they are adding new sites every week and are also hiring lab technicians to keep up with the demand, especially ahead of Christmas.
You can find a Curative testing location near you by clicking here.
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