Wake County to start free drive-thru coronavirus testing for people at-risk

Wake County will open a drive-thru coronavirus testing center for people who are at-risk starting Monday.

The center will be at the Wake County Commons Building, 4011 Carya Drive in Raleigh, off of Poole Road just east of the Beltline.

Testing is free, but participants need to sign up for a time slot and register to be able to get a drive-thru test.

People in the following categories can get tested, according to a news release from Wake County:

▪ “People with COVID-19-like symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting and loss of smell

▪ “People who been in close contact with a known positive case of COVID-19

▪ “Healthcare workers or first responders

▪ “People in congregate living settings

▪ “People 65 or older

▪ “People with underlying health conditions

▪ “Members of a vulnerable or historically marginalized population

▪ “Frontline workers in settings where social distancing is difficult.”

“Testing residents in our community is vital to understanding how the virus is spreading, so we can continue responding appropriately,” said Chris Kippes, Wake County Public Health Division director, in the release. “Our focus on at-risk and frontline workers will help fill the gap for populations who may not have access to testing elsewhere or who have a higher chance of becoming infected.”

There are several other drive-thru testing sites already in Wake County. According to the N.C. DHHS website, there are 25 drive-thru testing sites in Wake County. In Durham, there are six.

This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 2:12 PM with the headline "Wake County to start free drive-thru coronavirus testing for people at-risk."