GREENSBORO, N.C. — A once-busy COVID-19 testing site in Greensboro is now a lot quieter. Gone are the hours of waiting and miles of car lines. At a test site Thursday, there were only three cars — two that belonged to staffers and a reporter's.

What You Need To Know

  • COVID-19 cases are declining in North Carolina

  • That means need for testing and vaccines is dwindling

  • One testing-vaccination site in Greensboro is seeing only 5-10 visitors a day

“Oh, my goodness, I would say the last time we were decently packed was roughly middle of January,” Dr. Brian Shackleford said. "I mean, since that last spike of omicron, we’ve just been steadily decreasing in numbers.”

Shackleford is a part of the Old North State Medical Society and has been living in the Triad for seven years.

Old North State says it is one of the oldest medical societies for African American physicians in the United States.

Shackleford went to medical school at Wake Forest University before making his way to Greensboro.

“My wife brought me out to Greensboro,” he said. “Loved the area, loved Guilford County and decided to start my private practice here.”

It’s a job he’s passionate about, and one that’s kept him busy during the pandemic, especially in January when the omicron variant spread quickly.

But Shackleford said that over the last month, demand has significantly dropped.

“We’d have anywhere between 80 and 100 people coming through here to get their tests or vaccines and boosters,” he said.

On Thursday, his site had one appointment.

“We actually had an appointment at 11 this morning that called me on my way over and canceled,” Shackleford said.

The only person who came through was a walk-in, and his experience reflects the falling case numbers statewide.

The state went from nearly 40,000 new cases a day to about 3,000. Still, Shackleford says we’re not in the clear yet.

“Although the numbers are dwindling, the studies have shown and kind of anecdotally, as well as statistically, that those who are unvaccinated or are vaccinated but still haven’t been boosted are still having more serious illness,” he said.

So health care workers like Shackleford will be ready when you need them.

If you or someone you know needs to get tested or vaccinated, visit the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services test locator page or vaccine information page.