Courtesy Pixabay
Little River Memorial Hospital along with Memorial Medical Clinic will open a temporary drive-through testing site on Wednesday April 15, 2020 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm to test for COVID-19 (coronavirus), in collaboration with Natural State Laboratories, an Arkansas-based genetic laboratory out of North Little Rock. The temporary testing site will be located at the hospital, 451 West Locke. All cars will enter on Hamilton Street from 32 HWY (behind the hospital) and follow the signs posted to prevent congestion and confusion. There will only be 1 entrance for the drive-through testing.
Limited testing will be conducted at the site for individuals who meet one of the following testing criteria.
Any of the following symptoms:
- Fever/chills
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Shortness of breath or other lower respiratory symptoms
OR
Any of the following exposure risks:
- Close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 OR suspected (in quarantine or testing in process)
- Travel to a country where COVID-19 is endemic (All of Europe, S. Korea, China, Italy, Iran)
- Exposure in a community or facility where there is ongoing widespread transmission (nursing home, dorm, day care center, school, or other institution or community setting)
All Patients must bring a valid I.D. and their Health Insurance Card. There is no cash-pay price for this service.
All tests will be allocated to those who meet the criteria listed above. Members of the community who do not meet the above will not be tested at the temporary testing site.
Individuals who qualify for testing will be required to remain in their vehicles from the moment they enter the testing site, until they leave the property. There could be a potential wait time in the testing line, so personal needs such as bathrooms, food, and drinks will need to be taken care of before arriving.
Other members of the public who are not experiencing symptoms and have not been exposed should take protective measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The measures include social distancing measures, and everyday precautions like frequent hand washing, and avoiding contact with sick people.
UPDATE: Per Rachael Loftis of Memorial Medical Clinic, IF you have insurance, your test will be billed to your insurance. If you do not have insurance, the drive-through testing will be treated as an office visit.