Experts warn COVID testing ahead of Thanksgiving may give false sense of security

DALLAS - Many Americans are traveling this Thanksgiving week despite the rising case count of COVID-19 everywhere.

The pre-Thanksgiving testing surge started last week.

Video from SKY4 on Monday showed some extremely long lines at testing sites across the area, while other locations were mostly empty.

For many making plans to travel this Thanksgiving also includes plans for a trip to a COVID-19 testing site.

Growing lines at testing sites concern Texas Taskforce Member Dr. John Carlo, who says a negative test may not provide the protection people think it will

“The test today being negative doesn’t tell you what’s gonna happen Thursday or Friday of this week and it really is giving people a false sense of security,” he said.

The virus has a 14-day incubation period, meaning a person could have it, test negative and still pass it to others.

“I think it’s not a good idea. I think it’s better to assume everybody's potentially infectious and take it from there,” Dr. Carlo said.

The worry is not just over those going but those coming home from colleges and universities.

Chris Marsicano is co-founder of the College Crisis Initiative at Davidson College, tracking higher education’s response to the pandemic.

“About 15% of colleges and universities are mandating testing for all students leaving for Thanksgiving break,” he said. “Probably only about 15% or so are offering exit testing.”

That's the case across North Texas. Universities are recommending testing before leaving campus but not required.

Marsicano would like students to get tested to know before they go. When students moved on campus in the fall, Marsicano says many brought the virus with them.

“And came to counties where these colleges were, they increased the rate of infection in those counties and increased the number of cases across the country to about 3,000 cases per day,” he said.

“I have a lot of concerns and I think what we're gonna see here in North Texas coming out of the holidays is going to be very substantial if we don’t take the necessary precautions,” Dr. Carlo said.