While the US struggles with coronavirus test shortages, ultrawealthy enclaves are arranging community-level testing for residents

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While the US struggles with coronavirus test shortages, ultrawealthy enclaves are arranging community-level testing for residents
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The wealthy continue to stay ahead of the game during the coronavirus pandemic.

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In March, the US was struggling to test more people for the coronavirus, partly due to a shortage of both materials to run the tests and swabs to conduct them. While the US ramped up coronavirus testing capacity in April, some states and overall testing per capita in the US still lag behind, with doctors and hospitals continuing to report shortages.

While this makes it difficult for many Americans to get tested, that's not the case for those living in some of the country's richest enclaves.

From a ski resort in Colorado to a private island in Miami, wealthy communities across the nation have obtained free coronavirus and antibody tests for their residents. The former test detects current COVID-19 infection, while the other tests for previous COVID-19 infection.

The rich were already hiring concierge doctors for easier access to testing. Community-level testing is just the latest example of how the elite are weathering a different pandemic than the rest of the world.

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The small ski resort town of Telluride, Colorado, received free antibody tests for everyone in its county until testing delays occurred.

The small ski resort town of Telluride, Colorado, received free antibody tests for everyone in its county until testing delays occurred.

The ski town of Telluride, Colorado, is known for the privacy and discreet scene it offers America's wealthy.

In late March, United Biomedical Inc. began rolling out its company's newly developed COVID-19 antibody tests for free to the small ski community of Telluride, Colorado, and the surrounding San Miguel County area, reported Christie Aschwanden for Kaiser Health News.

"This was a gift and an opportunity," San Miguel County spokesperson Susan Lilly told Aschwanden.

About 6,000 of 8,000 San Miguel residents opted to get tested, but as of April 6, only 1,631 tests were processed. According to Aschwanden, testing was "delayed indefinitely." The delay is due to the majority of United Biomedical Inc's operations and staff being located in New York, which is suffering greatly from the pandemic, according to a press release.

The company plans to resume processing the remaining tests from the first round of testing, the release stated.

Every resident and staff member on Florida's Fisher Island can now get a coronavirus antibody blood test.

Every resident and staff member on Florida's Fisher Island can now get a coronavirus antibody blood test.

A private island off the coast of Miami, Fisher Island is home to the most expensive zip code in the US. It's only accessible by boat.

According to the Miami Herald, Fisher Island purchased thousands of rapid blood test kits from the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) — enough to test the island's 800 families and 400 staff members.

This antibody test is not widely available yet, reported Business Insider's Taylor Borden. Lisa Worley, a spokesperson for UHealth, told the Herald, "This is what the Fisher Island residents wanted."

In a statement emailed to Borden, Fisher Island spokesperson Sissy DeMaria Koehne noted that half of the island's residents are over the age of 60, which the CDC previously deemed a higher-risk category for the coronavirus. She also noted that the island is funding the cost of testing.

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The coastal community of Bolinas in San Francisco's Marin County is offering free COVID-19 testing in April.

The coastal community of Bolinas in San Francisco's Marin County is offering free COVID-19 testing in April.

Home to some of California's rich and famous, Marin County is the third-richest county in America. Bolinas, located on the coast southwest of San Francisco, is known for its reclusive residents.

The community has partnered with infectious disease experts at UCSF to provide drive-through testing by appointment only from April 20 to April 23. It's offering both testing to confirm if one is currently infected with the coronavirus and antibody testing to determine if one was previously infected with the coronavirus.

"This is an incredible opportunity for us to protect our elderly, first responders, and town-sustaining workers while contributing to research that will benefit every Bolinas community member and the entire Bay Area," reads the official website.

Testing is free, but donations are encouraged.

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