MSDH, UMMC organize mobile testing sites for one day only

Published on Thursday, March 26, 2020

Editor's Note: Saturday, June 6, is the final day that the C Spire Health app will be used as a screening tool for COVID-19 testing. After that, Mississippians can be screened and scheduled for appointment-only testing by calling the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 or by going to umc.edu/covidscreening.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) will open two mobile COVID-19 testing sites for one day only on Friday, March 27. Testing is free of charge.

The sites will be at the following locations in DeSoto and Coahoma counties and open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

Coahoma Expo Center                   Lewisburg High School
1150 Wildcat Drive                        1755 Craft Road
Clarksdale, Mississippi                  Olive Branch, Mississippi

Anyone experiencing symptoms related to the novel coronavirus who feel they should be tested must first go through a free screening from a UMMC clinician through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app or by calling 601-496-7200.

The C Spire Health app is available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Information on drive-through collection of samples at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds for COVID testing by the MSDH can be found here on UMMC's website.

During the screening a medical provider will determine the patient’s level of risk for having COVID-19 based on their symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat.

Anyone found to be high-risk for having coronavirus will be given an appointment to be tested at a collection site closest to them.

“By offering these one-day test site clinics, we’re hoping to fill some gaps in areas that are seeing a lot of positive cases but don’t have many other local testing options currently available,” said Jim Craig, MSDH Senior Deputy and Director of Health Protection.

“Making coronavirus testing available across the state is an urgent priority,” said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor health affairs and dean of the medical school at UMMC. “We are pleased to partner with the Department of Health and other state agencies to bring testing to these counties.” 

Joining MSDH and UMMC in setting up and operating these one-day mobile collection sites are the Mississippi National Guard, the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

At the collection sites, anyone being tested will not get out of their vehicle; providers wearing protective gear will come to their window and swab their noses to retrieve specimens for testing to be performed at the MSDH Public Health Lab.

UMMC will notify those tested of the results and give further instructions.

Appointments for testing will only be given to people who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and are determined to need testing. Anyone not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call.