Testing for coronavirus continues in Knox County.
On Friday and Saturday, 262 people were tested at a drive-thru testing site at Zoo Knoxville that was organized with the help of Kroger Health.
Dr. Martha Buchanan, Director of the Knox County Health Dept., said this will ultimately give us a better picture of the state of health in our community.
She said officials are continuing to expand in Knox County.
They continue to offer testing every day at the Knox County Health Dept. if the person meets CDC guidelines. To schedule an appointment, call 865-215-5555 or toll-free at 888-288-6022. The information line will be available from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 pm, Saturday and Sunday.
Health officials are also keeping track of testing that's being done at medical centers and urgent care clinics.
Dr. Buchanan emphasized again that if you are feeling sick, you should call your doctor or the health department for guidance. Do not just show up at a medical facility or emergency room.
She also said that if you have an emergency, you should still feel same to visit hospital ERs.
Original story
Drive-thru coronavirus screening is now available this Friday and Saturday in Knox County.
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is partnering with Kroger Health and the City of Knoxville to hold the screening for qualified people in the Zoo Knoxville parking lot, located at 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive. The hours will be 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
To be tested, you must meet CDC guidelines for testing, which include fever, shortness of breath, chills, cough, or recent exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19. You must also be approved by Kroger Health prior to the testing dates and have an appointment.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our health department along with the rest of our community and partners who are working hard to make things like this possible,” Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said. “One of the most important things we can do to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is extensive testing. Drive-thru testing will make this process much easier and convenient.”
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“The City of Knoxville is committed to doing everything we can to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon. “We are pleased to be able to offer the Zoo as the location for this much needed service in our community right now. We appreciate all of the people who have come together to get the drive-thru testing started and hope this will help expedite results and provide some comfort for those with COVID-19 symptoms.”
To request an appointment, Knox County residents should call Kroger Health (The Little Clinic) at 1-888-837-8852 (1-888-TEST TLC) and answer a few questions about your symptoms. If approved, a Kroger Health Call Center Associate will call you back to confirm your appointment and take additional information.
If you are approved, you must bring a valid ID and your appointment verification to the testing location. There is no charge and you don't have to have insurance.
“We are grateful to Kroger and our community partners for providing this opportunity for Knox County,” said Dr. Martha Buchanan, Public Health Officer and Senior Director of the Knox County Health Department. “By increasing the opportunity for testing, we are able to get a better picture of the state of health in Knox County.”
“Kroger is proud to partner with the Knox County Health Department in this important effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger Health. “This aligns perfectly with our vision, which is to help people live healthier lives.”
As of Friday afternoon, workers with Kroger said 134 people were assessed at the site today. They will get their results in 3-4 business days.
You can also be tested at the Knox County Health Dept. if you meet the CDC criteria. Knox County residents must call 865-215-5555 before they can be approved and scheduled for testing. Specimen collection is still done by drive-thru process at the health department when possible. Currently, walk-in testing is unavailable.