The Uintah Basin will soon have a drive-through COVID-19 testing location after the state announced on Monday plans to increase testing sites and allow more people with milder symptoms to be tested. During Monday’s press conference, state Epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn announced that there has been an increase in available tests and there is now unused testing capacity. As a result, any individual with at least 1 of 6 symptoms can qualify for COVID-19 testing and drive-through testing will be made available to remove barriers to being tested, especially in rural areas. In an interview Tuesday morning on Eagle Country 105.5 FM, TriCounty Health Officer Jordan Mathis confirmed that plans are now underway to bring drive-through testing to the Uintah Basin with one sure site to be located at the Vernal TriCounty Health Department location. Mathis says it is hoped the site will be up and running by the end of this week but it will just depend on how soon the state makes the supplies and online setup available in our area. Once the drive-through testing is available, those wanting to get tested will visit www.testutah.com to fill out a questionnaire that will determine whether or not they qualify for testing. “They’ve really lifted the testing requirement meaning more and more people are going to qualify for a test,” shares Mathis. If you qualify you will be given a QR code and you can either print it or have it on your phone. You’ll select a time that you’re planning to come and when you come at your appointed time the test will be performed with a swab in your nose while you sit in your car. Mathis emphasizes that if you are getting tested it is then important to go home and quarantine while you wait for your results. Within 48 to 72 hours, the test result will be received through email. “We are excited to have [this coming] here because more testing means more data which means better information for us to fight this disease,” says Mathis. “You never go into battle with a blindfold on, right? We are trying to lift the blindfold and see a little bit more clearly what the disease is doing in our community…Hopefully it will help us to keep that curve low and help us stay at a low level in our community.” TriCounty Health Department will make an announcement as soon as the drive-through testing is available. Keep up to date on their Situational Update page on www.tricountyhealth.com or their social media pages.
