JACKSON — Residents of Chickasaw, Coahoma, Forrest, Monroe, Leake and Tallahatchie counties and surrounding communities can be tested for COVID-19 next week as the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State Department of Health continue efforts to stem virus transmission by setting up one-day, drive-through collection sites.
One-day collection sites were previously announced for this week in Wayne, Oktibbeha , Lauderdale, Grenada, Adams, Neshoba, Holmes, Lee, Jasper, Rankin, Pontotoc and Desoto counties.
Testing hours at one-day collection sites were revised effective Monday, July 13. The new hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Anyone can be tested who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat; or who has a known or potential exposure to someone confirmed with the virus.
Mississippians who want to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire found at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at 601-496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will be given an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient.
Appointment-only testing has been offered since a daily testing site was established March 24 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. On June 1, that testing operation moved to the West Street Farmers Market at Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson. One-day sample collections are being offered at selected sites statewide.
Testing hours at the West Street Farmers Market are 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. daily except Sunday.
The newest testing sites for Monday, July 27:
Chickasaw County: Houlka Community Center (Senior Citizens Center), 612 Highway 32, New Houlka
Coahoma County: Coahoma County Youth Outreach Expo Building, 1535 Wildcat Drive, Clarksdale
The newest testing sites for Tuesday, July 28:
Forrest County: Lake Terrace Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Place, Hattiesburg
Leake County: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Standing Pine Facility Building, 416 Arrowhead Road, Walnut Grove
The newest testing sites for Wednesday, July 29:
Monroe County: Becker Community Center, 52246 Mississippi 25, Amory
Tallahatchie County: West Tallahatchie High School, 2104 High School Road, Webb
The previously announced testing sites for Friday, July 24:
Jasper County: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Bogue Homa Facility Building, 109 McFarland Road, Bogue Homa community, Heidelberg
Rankin County: Brandon City Hall, 1000 Municipal Drive, Brandon
The previously announced testing sites for Saturday, July 25:
Pontotoc County: Pontotoc County Agri-Center Extension Office, 402 C.J. Hardin Jr. , Pontotoc
Desoto County: Landers Center, 4560 Venture Drive, Southaven
Those who believe they need to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will receive an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient.
Thousands of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC/MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include, as of the end of the day July 22, a total 8,947 people at 159 one-day testing sites statewide, plus another 15,248 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds and West Street Farmers Market, for a total of 24,195 tested.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. During drive-through testing, health care professionals will collect specimen samples via a nose swab. Those being tested will not exit their vehicle.
For more information about testing, click here.
