County No Longer Using Baylor School Lab For Virus Testing Since State Provides Tests At Its Cost

Shown, from left, are Dr. Dawn Richards, Dr. Mary Loveless, and Dr. Elizabeth Forrester at the Baylor School lab

County Mayor Jim Coppinger said the county is disengaging from use of the Baylor School lab for coronavirus testing.

He had high praise for Baylor School officials and the lab operators and said the only reason is that the state "has stepped up and is now offering testing at its cost."

County Mayor Coppinger said the Baylor lab had a capacity of 300 cases per day, "and we have gone so far past that."

He said Baylor "filled a huge void" before the state geared up its testing. "We could not have done what we did without them."

The County Commission had earlier approved spending up to $1.5 million for the Baylor School lab operation.

The lab was set up and approvals gained for the unique lab in record time.

Baylor faculty members Dr. Elizabeth Forrester and Dr. Dawn Richards, who are also Ph.D. research scientists, developed a testing protocol for COVID-19 and volunteered their services early on in the pandemic.

The tests were gathered up at hospitals each day and taken to the school lab.