The drive-through COVID-19 testing site organized by Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart continues this week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Pensacola. Persons wanting to have a nasal swab collected for lab testing should first call 850-746-2684 for a telephone screening to see if they meet criteria to get the test.
People who meet criteria will be directed to the drive-through site where nurses in protective gear will collect a sample while patients stay inside their cars.
In its first 15 days of operation, care teams have conducted 7,886 telephone screenings and tested 2,276 people. Most results from outside labs have come back, and to date, test findings show that 5 percent of those tested – 99 people — tested positive for COVID-19, while 95 percent of those tested did not have the virus.
Of those tested, about 65 percent were from Escambia County, and 30 percent were from Santa Rosa County.
The drive-through center helps health officials gain a better understanding of the extent of COVID-19 in the area. Community testing also serves to identify and isolate those who may be infected, and thus minimize the spread of the virus.
