Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing offered in September at Guilford County health department

Aug. 28--GREENSBORO -- People can get tested for COVID-19 at weekday drive-thru testing events in September, according to a news release from Guilford County Division of Public Health.

The health department is partnering with Guilford County Emergency Management to offer the free testing at the health department's Greensboro location, 1100 E. Wendover Ave.

Appointment-only testing will be done 9 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and can be scheduled by calling 336-641-7527.

Please note there will be no testing on Sept. 4 and 7.

Participants should wear a face covering to the event.

Confidential pre-screening will take place during the call to confirm a person is a candidate for testing, the health department said.

If the participant has private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, they are asked to bring their insurance card. There is no out-of-pocket cost to the patient, even if they don't have insurance. Testing is open to all Guilford County residents, according to the health department.

People need to meet only one of the following to qualify for testing:

-- Symptomatic with one of the following: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, or any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.

-- Close contact with known positive cases, regardless of symptoms.

-- People at high risk of severe illness, such as those over 65 years of age or those of any age with underlying health conditions.

-- People who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings, such as a long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility or migrant farm-worker camp.

-- People who come from historically marginalized populations.

-- Front-line and essential workers in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

-- People who have attended protests, rallies or other mass gatherings where effective social distancing could not be practiced.

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