Local COVID-19 testing sites: Where to go, what to know

Western North Carolina (WLOS) — In effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus, health care providers across the mountains have begun setting up COVID-19 drive-through testing sites.

CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION CENTER: TRACK THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, IMPACTS, AND HEADLINES ABOUT THE PANDEMIC HERE

Buncombe County

Buncombe County Health and Human Services started operating two drive-through COVID-19 testing sites.

• Biltmore Church - Arden Campus: 35 Clayton Rd, Arden
  
• UNC Asheville Campus: Parking lot P28 on University Heights off of W.T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville
  

The sites will be open, starting March 17 from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm. Based on the availability of testing supplies, the sites will continue to operate throughout the week from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 pm each day.

Officials say they will be operating this drive through clinic as long as tests are available and ask that community members be patient throughout the screening and testing process. The testing site is staffed by medical providers from BCHHS. Testing is available to all members of our community, regardless of their income or ability to pay.

This COVID-19 drive-thru testing is specifically available for community members who:

• Have a fever combined with either a cough or shortness of breath.
• Have contact with someone with known COVID-19 and are experiencing any of the symptoms: fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Community screening drive-thru testing instructions:

1) Drive to one of the following locations:

• Biltmore Church at 35 Clayton Road, Arden, North Carolina 28704
• UNC Asheville Campus, parking lot P28 on University Heights off of W.T. Weaver Boulevard

2) Follow the signs for the parking lot where testing will be conducted.

3) Stay in your vehicle. An employee will direct where to go and will give you the necessary paperwork before conducting testing and guide you throughout the entire process.

"As we expect a large number of community members to participate, we ask for your patience with our dedicated healthcare workers as we strive to provide this important community service," Buncombe County health officials said in a release. "This is an unprecedented public health event in our community and it will take all of us working together to stop the spread of COVID-19."

Visit www.buncombecounty.org/bcready for more details.

Henderson County

AdventHealth Hendersonville has opened a testing site for patients to drive-up for COVID-19 testing. This is a resource for patients who have a referral for a test from an AdventHealth physician or who have been referred after calling the AdventHealth Triage Nurse Hotline, 828-681-2300.

AdventHealth Hendersonville COVID-19 Testing Location:

• 50 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville
• Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:30 am to 6 pm

If a person has questions about symptoms or if they may need a test, they should call the AdventHealth Triage Nurse Hotline at 828-681-2300. This is a 24-hour hotline the public can call to speak with a Registered Nurse and, if needed, receive a referral to be tested.

“We made the decision to move the testing outside of our hospital and physician offices to protect patients and care teams from possible exposure,” said Teresa Herbert, MD, MPH, FAAP, AdventHealth Hendersonville’s chief medical fficer in a release. “We are collecting samples from patients in their vehicles. Patients are given instructions and education regarding current protocol for testing and self-quarantine requirements while they are waiting for their test results.”

Health care providers with AdventHealth told News 13 that in order to get the test, patients will also have to agree to a self-quarantine afterward.

"It's really, really important that they're self-quarantining and agreeing to that, or doing the test does no good because they're in the community spreading," Jennifer Taiwo, administrative director of operations for physician services said.

For more details, visit CoronaVirusSignsandSymptoms.com.

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On Sunday, March 15, Pardee UNC Health and Henderson County Government, working with the Henderson County Department of Public Health, Henderson County Emergency Management, and the Mountain Area Healthcare Preparedness Coalition began operating a drive-through COVID-19 screening site on the main campus of Blue Ridge Community College.

The drive-thru COVID-19 screening site is located below:

• 180 West Campus Drive on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock
  
• Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m
  

The screening site is set up for community members that are exhibiting the following symptoms:

• Cough
• Fever greater than 100 degrees and shortness of breath
• Have already spoken with the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline (828-694-8048) to determine if symptoms qualify for flu and / or COVID-19 testing.

Please note that no one under the age of 12 will be screened for COVID-19.

The Pardee COVID-19 Helpline is open from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Helpline is handling a high volume of calls and ask the public to be patient with the process.

Community screening drive-thru testing instructions:

1. Patients are being asked to refrain from showing up at the site without first being screened by phone. If a patient meets screening criteria, they will be asked to drive to Blue Ridge Community College and follow the signs for screening. If patients arrive without having met screening criteria, they will be asked to pull out of the line and call the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline (828-694-8048).
   
2. Once approved to continue, patients will drive through a series of screening stations, the first of which will include additional, more detailed screening questions beyond the initial call and temperature taken. If that additional criteria is met, the patient will pull forward to the next screening station for a flu test. Patients will wait in the car for test results. If the flu test is positive, patients will be provided guidance and/or treatment for in-home care and asked to exit the drive-thru screening site.
3. If the flu test is negative, patients will be directed to the third and final screening station for a COVID-19 specimen collection. Staff, using appropriate precautions, will collect specimens on-site. Unlike the rapid flu tests given on site, COVID-19 test results can take several days to be verified. Staff from the Henderson County Department of Public Health will be on hand to offer guidance for self-isolation and symptom management to those who do receive a COVID-19 test. Patients who receives a COVID-19 test will be expected to self-quarantine at home for five to six days while awaiting the results of the test. If and when a case is confirmed, the Department of Public Health will announce.

“We are so grateful to our partners,” said David Ellis, chief medical officer for Pardee UNC Health. “They all, without hesitation, quickly stepped forward to help in whatever way that they could to make this endeavor come together for our community.” Ellis notes that the screening site will continue to evolve and asks that the community have patience with all parties involved as they navigate uncharted territory to address a global pandemic here at home.

There is no charge for the drive-thru service. If medication is warranted for flu or to manage symptoms at home, fees may apply. No medication will be dispensed on site.

As a reminder for the community, if you suspect that you have COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, you should first:

• Call the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline (828-694-8048) between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. to determine if symptoms qualify for flu and / or COVID-19 testing.
• Do not go to the emergency department. Emergency Departments need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.

For general questions, you can call the UNC Health COVID-19 Helpline at 1-888-850-2684 or the North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline at 1-866-462-3821.

For more information or to find a physician, visit www.pardeehospital.org.

Jackson County

Health providers at Mountain Park Urgent Care & Walk-in Clinic are offering COVID-19 swab testing to anyone who feels they may need it.

The urgent care facility released the following guidelines online:

1. First, we ask you to remain in your vehicle and call our number 828-631-3181.
2. Following state and federal guidelines, we will initiate a Virtual Visit via phone.
3. If you meet the criteria for COVID-19, we will perform a Strep Test and a Flu Test to rule those out.
4. If those tests come back negative, we will swab you for COVID-19 and give you guidance.

"Please understand that this situation is rapidly evolving and we are in constant contact with Infectious Disease Control Specialists to stay as informed as possible," the website says.

For more information, visit here: mountainparkuc.com/covid-19/

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TRACKING THE CORONAVIRUS: JOHNS HOPKINS CREATES ONLINE MAP WITH UPDATED GLOBAL NUMBERS

Track the latest cases of the coronavirus in North Carolina by visiting the state health department's COVID-19 tracker here: ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc

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Additionally, Asheville Chamber of Commerce is asking community business members to take a survey on how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting them. Find the survey by clicking here.

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If you know of any more local COVID-19 testing sites, email a release or your information to news@wlos.com.