Drive through weekend COVID-19 testing ‘if not feeling well,’ beyond regular symptoms, starts April 18
Weekend drive-through COVID-19 testing, which now is open to any Tennessean who simply “isn’t feeling well” — not requiring the main coronavirus symptoms to be felt — will begin this weekend at 15 statewide sites yet to be determined at deadline.
Gov. Bill Lee “directed our Unified Command Group to rapidly expand our COVID-19 testing capacity all across Tennessee,” he announced during a COVID-19 press conference Wednesday afternoon, April 15.
“This will allow more Tennesseans to have greater access to more testing,” he added.
“Our clinical understanding of COVID-19 is changing rapidly, and we need every Tennessean who isn’t feeling well to under stand that they have access to testing. … Even beyond those traditional symptoms.
“… This expanded testing effort will launch this weekend, April 18-19. The Tennessee National Guard will be popping up 15 drive-through testing sites all across the state.”
Looking ahead, “Drive-through testing sites will also be available during the weekends of April 25-26 and May 2-3,” Lee said. “The Department of Health nurses and Tennessee National Guard medics will perform these tests.
“The results are projected to be delivered within 72 hours of testing,” he added.
“… When in doubt, get a test.”
In addition to these drive-through weekend tests, “Tennesseans need to remember that they can get a test, free of charge, five days a week at every state and rural health department across every county in Tennessee,” the governor said.
Latest state numbers
In Tennessee as of Wednesday afternoon, there were 6,079 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 2,196 recoveries and 135 dead — among almost 81,000 coronavirus tests given, Lee announced.
