UMMC, MSDH to open one-day drive-through COVID-19 testing sites

JACKSON, Miss., March 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi State Department of Health on Tuesday will open two mobile COVID-19 sample collection sites for one day only.

The appointment-only testing is free of charge. Mississippians who have been screened as being high risk of infection will give a specimen sample, via a nose swab, without exiting their vehicle.

Drive-through sites for Tuesday, March 31, both open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., are:

• Pemberton Square Mall, 350 Pemberton Square Boulevard, Vicksburg
• Greenwood-Leflore County Civic Center, 200 Mississippi Highway 7, Greenwood

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are collaborating with UMMC and MSDH to facilitate the collections.

Anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, who feel they should be tested must first go through a free screening from a UMMC clinician through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app. Those without a smartphone can call (601) 496-7200. Using the C Spire Health app is the easiest, quickest process to be screened and receive an appointment.

More information about UMMC/MSDH mobile testing sites can be found here.

One-day collection sites will also be open:

• Wednesday in Meridian (address to be determined)
• Thursday in Natchez and Picayune (addresses to be determined)

Residents that live in and around those areas who believe they need to be screened can do so now by using the C Spire Health app, or for those that don't have a smartphone, the phone number listed above. Those meeting high-risk criteria will be given an appointment at the mobile collection site closest to them.

Drive-through specimen collection using this same process also is continuing daily at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson.

During the screening, a medical provider will determine the patient's level of risk for having COVID-19 based on their symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat. Anyone found to be high-risk for having coronavirus will receive an appointment to be tested at a collection site closest to them.

At the collection sites, providers wearing protective gear will come to the vehicle window to retrieve specimens for testing to be performed at the MSDH Public Health Lab. Those being tested aren't permitted to leave their vehicle.

UMMC will notify those tested of the results and give further instructions.

Appointments for testing will only be given to people who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and are determined to need testing. Anyone not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call.

Anyone determined to be at low risk for infection won't receive an appointment for collection of specimens, but instead will receive instructions on social distancing, home isolation and self-care – and told to call back if symptoms worsen.

For more information about UMMC's response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Mississippi, click here. Follow MSDH by email and social media at HealthyMS.com/connect.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Media may visit a collection site the day before it is active to get photos and video of set-up and practice runs, but media are not allowed to be on site day-of testing.

About the University of Mississippi Medical Center
UMMC is the state's only academic medical center. Its education, research and health care missions share the objectives of improving the health of the state's population and eliminating health disparities. Located in Jackson.

UMMC encompasses seven health science schools, including medicine, nursing, health related professions, dentistry, pharmacy, graduate studies and population health. The Medical Center's health care enterprise includes the state's only Level I trauma center, only children's hospital, and only organ and bone marrow transplant program. The Medical Center also is home to a Telehealth Center of Excellence, one of two in the nation. 

For more information, visit www.umc.edu and click here to view news and features stories produced by UMMC Communications and Marketing.

About C Spire
C Spire provides a full suite of world-class, customer-inspired dedicated Internet, IP Voice, data, managed services, cloud services, value added resale and mobile communications to businesses and wireless, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access and related home services for consumers.  This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at twitter.com/cspire.

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