Riverside County sees increase in testing ahead of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and despite advice from public health officials to limit gatherings, many are still expected to spend the holiday with family and friends.

According to Riverside County Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari, the county has experienced an increased amount of testing.

"We’re currently testing at 283 tests per 100,000 people in the county. About a month and a half ago we were at 130 tests per 100,000 so our numbers are definitely go up," said Saruwatari.

There are many factors that could be contributing to the spike in recent testing. Saruwatari didn't rule out the fact that some people may be getting tested as they prepare to gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving.

"I certainly think that could be one of the contributing factors."

Over the last month, the county has experienced a sharp increase in case rates.

"Our case rate has almost tripled in about 4 weeks time," said Saruwatari.

As numbers soar health officials are urging people to be smart if they are planning on gathering with loved ones.

"Our first preference is that people stay home and they celebrate Thanksgiving with the people that they regularly live with. If people are going to gather, we recommend that people eat outside. That’s going to lower your risk of transmission. Have one person that’s serving all of the food so there aren’t multiple people touching the food," said Saruwatari.

Many people still plan to celebrate the holiday next Thursday, even if it means scaling down.

Though getting tested before being around family members could provide peace of mind, health experts remind the public that method does not guarantee that a person is not carrying the virus.

"It takes some time for that virus to start building up in your system. So we have patients come in, get tested negative-- 2-3 days later we test them again, they’re positive," said John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital Chief of Medicine, Dr. Montee Suleiman.

Dr. Suleiman said that the viral load may not be prevalent enough at the time of the test, which can lead to negative results. The incubation period varies by person, and while some can show symptoms in a few days, there are those that do not show symptoms at all.

"I would still recommend social distancing because you may know where you’ve been, but you don’t know where your other family members have been," said Dr. Suleiman.

If you feel as though you have to get a test, experts said try to do it as soon as 48 hours beforehand. They also advise people to keep masks on as much as possible, and frequently wash hands. For family or friends that are elderly or vulnerable, it is advised to have a separate table for them where they can keep their distance.