DAPHNE – Eastern Shore first responders began testing for COVID-19 last week, with initial results showing little infection, according to officials.
More than 100 Spanish Fort and Daphne police and firefighters received antibody tests Thursday, April 16 at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne. Daphne Mayor Dane Haygood said only one test indicated that a first responder had signs of being exposed to COVID-19.
“We had only one out of 105 of our first-responders test positive,” Haygood said. “And remember that these are the people who have been in close contact with those who are likely to have this.”
The positive antibody test was conducted on a Spanish Fort police officer, according to reports.
Haygood said that under the testing program, any first responder who tests positive for the virus in the antibody tests will have additional tests to determine if he or she is positive for COVID-19.
He said testing will continue, but the results so far are encouraging. The mayor said initial test results for both first responders and indicate a lower level of the virus in the area than the state or national average.
As of Sunday, Baldwin County had 108 positive results out, about 6.5 percent of the 1,661 tests conducted in the county. The state average was 10.7 percent, 4,903 positive results in 45,712 tests. He said many of the recent cases reported in Baldwin County also seem to be in areas other than the Eastern Shore.
“Our levels are better than the state average and we’re all doing better than the national average,” Haygood said.
Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson said officials there are also working on plans to test first responders and other city employees whose jobs might put them in contact with infected residents.
She said Fairhope acquired COVID-19 tests from the city of Mobile for first responders.
“We want to test all our essential employees, not only first responders, but also the employees who are going out and making sure that that garbage is picked up and handling that,” Wilson said. “Anybody who’s work puts them in contact with the public, working the drive-up window at City Hall or picking up the mail or the items in the drop box.”
She said any employee who tests positive for antibodies will have a COVID-19 test within 24 hours.
