Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. – Residents of Hinds, Walthall and Kemper counties and surrounding communities can be tested for COVID-19 this 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.

These sites join others happening this week, previously announced in Yazoo, Montgomery, Perry and Claiborne counties.

The fastest and easiest way to get screened and tested is with the C Spire Health app. It’s available daily from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Those without smartphones can call (601) 496-7200. Anyone not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call.

The testing sites for Thursday, April 23:

Hinds County: Tougaloo College Owens Health and Wellness Center, 500 W. County Line Road, Jackson

Walthall County: Walthall County Events Center, 31 Highway 48 East, Tylertown

The testing site for Friday, April 24:

Kemper County: Kemper County High School, 200 Martin Luther King Jr. St., DeKalb

Testing sites previously announced for Tuesday, April 21:

Yazoo County: Wardell Leach Recreational Complex, 500 W. 15th St., Yazoo City

Montgomery County: Winona Recreation and Parks baseball fields, 300 Recreation Park Drive, Winona

Testing sites previously announced for Wednesday, April 22:

Perry County: Perry County Multi-Purpose Center, 1194 Highway 15, Richton

Claiborne County: Claiborne County Parks and Recreation, 1120 Highway 61 N., Port Gibson

Appointment-only testing at each site is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Hundreds of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC/MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include a total 759 people at 20 one-day testing states statewide, plus another 2,492 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, for a total of 3,251 tested.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites.

Anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat, who feels they should be tested must first go through a free screening from a UMMC clinician, either through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app by phone. UMMC and C Spire have partnered to make the screening free to all Mississippians.

Mississippians who are screened as being at high risk for having COVID-19 are given an appointment at a testing site to provide a specimen sample, via a nose swab, without exiting their vehicle.

Anyone determined to be at low risk for infection will receive instructions on social distancing, home isolation and self-care – and told to call back if symptoms worsen.

For more information about testing, click here.

In order to be tested, a screening using the C Spire Health smartphone app or a phone call to a UMMC clinician must first be completed, and an appointment at a testing site will be given if warranted.