LYNCHBURG, Va. – Drive-thru testing centers are now popping up across the country. Centra is giving us a closer look at how it works.
“The entire process probably takes about 10 minutes," said registered nurse Amanda Turner.
People with the potential for testing positive who have been referred by their doctor are asked to drive to the parking lot of the Centra Urgent Care in Forest, stay in the car and call 434-841-3511.
“That number connects you to one of the nurses inside that’s going to screen you to make sure you meet the criteria for testing,” Turner said.
Turner says that a nurse will come out dressed in protective gear to swab the patient in the nose and mouth.
“The nurse will place both of those swabs into the viral medium and that will be transported to the lab,” Turner said.
Centra says the lab is in North Carolina and results can take up to a week.
Medical experts say before you’re given the test you must fall under the CDC’s symptom guidelines.
If you don’t, you will not be tested.
“Due to our limited supply of testing in the Commonwealth and throughout the nation, we need to make sure we’re prioritizing our patients to receive testing,” Turner said,
In addition to the Forest location, Centra says it has testing sites in Bedford, Farmville and Gretna. They are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Forest site is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you have questions about the virus, you can call Centra’s hotline number 434-200-1225.