Surge testing site set to open Wednesday

A new federally funded surge testing site will be opening on Wednesday in Kern County.

The free drive-thru testing facility which will be set up at the Kern County Fairgrounds was brought to Bakersfield thanks in part to Congressman Kevin McCarthy.

AND I'M MIKE HART..IN JUST A FEW HOURS -- A NEWFEDERALLY FUNDED SURGETESTING SITE WILL BE OPENINGRIGHT HERE IN KERN COUNTY.THE FREE... DRIVE THROUGHTESTING FACILITY -- WHICH WILLBESET UP AT THE KERN COUNTYFAIRGROUNDS -- WAS BROUGHT TOBAKERSFIELD THANKS IN PART TOCONGRESSMAN KEVIN MCCARTHY.13:50 IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOUARE.

IF YOU'RE IN THE COMMUNITY,YOU NEED A TEST, WE HAVE ANOPPORTUNITY FORYOU TO GET THROUGH.

BECAUSE WITHPUBLIC HEALTH, WE WANT TO MAKESURE YOUR HEALTH IS TOPPRIORITY.

AND THIS IS A WAY TOGET A HANDLE ON COVID.14:03MCCARTHY SAID HE SPOKE WITHPRESIDENT DONALD TRUMPABOUT GETTING SURGE TESTING INKERN COUNTY.

THE PRESIDENTSUGGESTED HE SPEAK WITH ADMIRALBRETTGIROIR -- THE ASSISTANTSECRETARY FOR HEALTH ANDHUMAN SERVICES WHO HEADS UP THEGOVERNMENT'SCORONAVIRUS TESTING PROGRAMS.ONLY A HANDFUL OF SURGE TESTINGSITES HAVE BEEN SETUPTHROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY -- ANDWHEN OFFICIALS WERE LOOKINGFOR HOTSPOTS -- KERN COUNTY WASAN AREA THAT WAS BEINGCONSIDERED.GIROIR SAID THE SITE WILL BEABLE TO CONDUCT UP TO 60THOUSANDTESTS OVER THE COURSE OF TWOWEEKS -- OR ABOUT 5THOUSAND A DAY -- WHICH WOULDULTIMATELY HELP CURB THE SPREADOF COVID-19.AMBASSADOR BIRX AND HER ANALYTICTEAM REALLY PROVIDE US WITH ALIST OF PLACES THAT A SURGE SITEMIGHT BEHELPFUL, AND THAT'S GIVEN THEOUTBREAK CHARACTERISTICS IN YOURAREA, BUT ALSOTHE ABILITY TO REALLY SQUASH ITDOWN.

THAT IF WE DO THE RIGHTTHINGS, YOUCAN REALLY TURN IT AROUND RATHERQUICKLY.

11:10THE SURGE SITE WILL OPEN AT 2THIS AFTERNOON -- AND WILL BEOPEN FROM 7 A-M TO 7 P-M DAILYOVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ATTHE FAIRGROUNDS.AGAIN -- TESTS ARE FREE -- ANDRESULTS ARE EXPECTED WITHINTHREE DAYS.THIS MORNING --