PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The free coronavirus testing site promised for Friday by the mayor of Port Arthur did not open.
The Beaumont Enterprise reported on Friday that Jefferson County Precinct Three Commissioner Michael Shane Sinegal was at the testing site Friday morning and told a gathering of about 35 people that test would not be happening today.
A “mobile testing unit” has been operating in Port Arthur for the last few Fridays in Jefferson County Precinct Four Commissioner Bo Alfred told 12News Friday afternoon.
Alford told 12News he had never spoken with Port Arthur mayor Thurman Bartie about the mayor’s plans to offer free screening to all residents of the city.
Bartie told 12News on Friday via text message that he hoped to have testing available on Monday.
“When commissioners do something in responding to an emergency, they should go through the Emergency Operations Center to make sure we have the means of accomplishing this mission," Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said.
"In this case that would be the test kits," he said. "It wasn’t a miscommunication. There was no communication with the EOC.”
At a news conference on Thursday, Bartie announced that testing would be available from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 17 and Monday, April 20.
Bartie said at Thursday’s news conference that he and Dr. Cecil Walkes, of the Jefferson County Health Department were announcing the new testing cite and urged all Port Arthur residents to get tested.
Bartie said Thursday that because many African-Americans were potentially susceptible to the virus, he felt that all residents of the city should be tested.
Because the city’s population is made up of about 49 – 53% African-Americans and 35% Hispanic, Bartie said Thursday that the entire population of Port Arthur should be tested before the city can return to normal.
