Coronavirus: Hundreds line up for Clark County health district’s drive-thru testing

Tom Nash gets a COVID-19 test Wednesday as he sits in his van in the Burnett Plaza parking lot during the Clark County Combined Health District's free COVID-19 testing clinic. This was the third free clinic the Health District has held but the first drive thru clinic. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Tom Nash gets a COVID-19 test Wednesday as he sits in his van in the Burnett Plaza parking lot during the Clark County Combined Health District's free COVID-19 testing clinic. This was the third free clinic the Health District has held but the first drive thru clinic. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

The Clark County Combined Health District hosted their first drive-thru coronavirus testing clinic on Wednesday with hopes of testing 1,000 local residents.

“This is the first drive-thru clinic we’ve done,” Clark County Combined Health District Commissioner Charles Patterson said. “We knew there was going to be some weather today and we thought it would be better if we could keep folks in their cars.”

The testing clinic at Burnett Plaza in Springfield was the district’s third and final scheduled free testing event. Testing was available to anyone who wanted one — free of charge — regardless of insurance, appointment or doctor’s note.

At the two previous free testing events hosted by the Clark County Combined Health District, nearly 1,500 individuals were tested for COVID-19.

During Wednesday’s testing event, Patterson explained that they were able to get about 100 cars off the street at a time and had 1,000 coronavirus testing kits.

Clark County residents Tom Nash and his wife decided to come to the free testing event because they said they know several individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19.

“We just wanted to come down and get tested,” Nash said. “We wanted to make sure we’re not spreading something that we don’t even know we have.”

Patterson said the district has been continuing to encourage residents to come out and get tested, even if they aren’t symptomatic.

“Do the right thing,” Patterson said. “Get the test, so we know who might have it that doesn’t even know it and we can do our contact tracing and start stopping the spread within the community.”

He added that wearing a mask, social distancing, getting tested and contact tracing are ways “we can slow this thing down and get ready for kids to go back to school.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Clark County had a total of 951 coronavirus cases, including 116 probable cases and 11 deaths, including one probable death.

For more information or questions about COVID-19, call the Clark County Combined Health District at 937-390-5600.

About the Author