DENVER — Only a few days remain until all lanes at the Pepsi Center close for COVID-19 testing.
The center will close for COVID-19 testing on Wednesday.
The future is the same for Aurora Sports Park. Mayor Coffman tweeted last week that the Aurora site will close Oct. 5.
"We had anticipated that we would be doing between 700-1,000 tests each day but the average has been 178," Coffman said.
"If they’re only hitting 10 or 20% capacity, it’s not meeting the needs of people as far as convenience or even the knowledge of it," said Bryan Lape, who lives in Aurora.
So, what does the future of testing look like?
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says cities are transitioning to mobile test sites in certain communities.
This helps more people get tested where they may have not been able to before.
"Anytime that you’ve got a public service, especially in a time like a pandemic like this, you’ve got to be able to make testing services available to people. Bringing it into the communities — now people can walk or ride a bicycle or come with a friend, whatever the case may be, but it is more accessible. Moving it closer in, I think, is a good thing," said Lape.
Across the street from Lape’s home, Restoration Christian Fellowship Church in Aurora is one example of this push.
Beginning in November, its parking lot will be used as a rapid mobile testing facility.
Other sites in Denver and Aurora will already be operating every day.
