WC Health Dept. among Saturday’s drive-through testing sites

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Health will offer 33 drive-through events this weekend to make COVID-19 testing available to Tennesseans who are concerned about their health or the health of their family members. Among those in West Tennessee are at the Weakley County Health Department and Jackson Fairgrounds.

On Saturday, COVID-19 drive-through testing sites will be open at the following locations:

• Weakley County Health Department: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., located at 9852 Hwy. 22, Dresden and

• Madison County 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., located at Jackson Fairgrounds, 800 South Ave., Jackson.

This testing will be provided at no cost to participants, and those who come for testing can remain in their vehicles throughout the process of collecting their samples.

Nurses and/or National Guard medics at each site will collect nasal swabs from those who want to be tested, and test results may be available within 72 hours after the samples arrive at the lab, depending on lab volume.

Information will be provided at the testing locations on what participants can expect after being tested. This information is also available at: www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/TestedGuidance.pdf.

“As we look to reboot our state’s economy, we must have a greater understanding of how this virus is operating in Tennessee,” said Gov. Lee. “Expanding our COVID-19 testing capacity allows more Tennesseans to have improved access to testing which will empower citizens to make informed health decisions.”

In recent weeks, states across the country have grappled with the availability of tests and supplies needed to conduct COVID-19 tests, as well as the backlog for processing tests. Rapid improvements to the testing apparatus allowed the Unified-Command Group, comprised of the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Military and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), to develop expanded capacity and offer targeted testing across the state.

“Our clinical understanding of COVID-19 is changing rapidly and we need every Tennessean who isn’t feeling well, even outside of the traditional COVID-19 symptoms of cough, fever or difficulty breathing, to come out and get tested,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey.

“Until there is a vaccine for COVID-19, quickly detecting this illness, isolating if ill and practicing social distancing are the most powerful tools we have to stop the spread and help our state return to work,” said Dr. Piercey. “I encourage every Tennessean to remember: ‘when in doubt, get a test’ as we work to identify COVID-19 cases and keep our neighbors safe.”

Learn more about TDH’s drive-through testing events this weekend and other locations for testing at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/remote-assessment-sites.html.

Tennessee’s Coronavirus Public Information Lines are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., CDT daily at 833-556-2476 or 877-857-2945.

TDH is posting updated COVID-19 case numbers by 2 p.m. CDT each day at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html. Find additional information at www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19.html and www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Earlier today, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced his recommendation of closing public schools across the state through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.