Free, drive-thru testing for COVID-19 returns to Lexington
A popup COVID-19 testing event is being held in Lexington County Tuesday.
Testing will be held at Willow Ridge Church, according to a news release from Lexington Medical Center, which is conducting the testing along with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. It was arranged at the request of state Sen. Katrina Shealy, hospital officials said.
The free testing is open to everyone from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., according to the release. The church is as 104 Sycamore Tree Road in Lexington, near U.S. 1 (Augusta Road) and Two Notch Road.
People looking to be tested for the coronavirus do not need to have symptoms or a doctor’s order, and no appointments are necessary, hospital officials said.
A valid form of identification will be required, and anyone going to get tested must wear a mask or face covering, according to the release.
Testing will be administered from the seat of a car, and patients do not need to get out of the vehicle.
The drive-thru format will involve a clinician inserting a 6-inch long swab into the nose for 15 seconds and rotating it several times, before repeating the process on the other nostril, according to the release.
DHEC is providing test kits and will process the results, hospital officials said.
Questions about the testing and the event can be asked at www.scdhec.gov or 803-898-3432.
This is one of several community testing sites being made available across the Midlands by either DHEC, Lexington Medical Center or Prisma Health.
Another free testing event was held in Columbia Tuesday. Screening will be available until noon at Longleaf Middle School at 1160 Longreen Parkway. That’s near the intersection of Clemson and Farrow roads.
The Columbia testing is being conducted by DHEC and Prisma Health, and results are expected to be returned within four days, hospital officials said.
Lexington Medical Center has previously held free COVID-19 screenings for more than 4,900 people at events at Lexington High School, Chapin High School, Irmo High School, White Knoll High School, Brookland Baptist Church, Batesburg-Leesville Elementary School and Schumpert’s IGA in Pelion, according to the release.
Prisma is planning another testing event on Friday and Saturday at River Bluff High School, from 8 a.m. to noon.
Through Monday, there were 82,071 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,452 deaths in South Carolina, health officials said. Lexington County has reported 4,203 positive tests and 86 coronavirus-related deaths, acording to DHEC.
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This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 8:50 AM.
