Coconino County has two drive-in locations for coronavirus testing, at Fort Tuthill County Park and Coconino Community College. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.
The testing locations are not open to the public, only to people with a referral from their primary care physician. Emergency rooms and North Country Health Care in Flagstaff can also give referrals. Additionally, Coconino County Health and Human Services has a call center to help people determine if they need the test.
Marie Peoples, the county’s incident commander, says, "With the call center, individuals can call and they can discuss their symptoms, there’s a risk assessment that is done. We’re helping individuals that way. If someone meets the risk assessment eligibility we’ll help them get to a provider to see if they need COVID 19 testing."
The test gives results in 24 hours. Peoples says the two drive-in locations are keeping up with demand. "We had around 1600 specimen collecting kits and we’re continuing to order stock as we move forward, so right now there are not any community concerns in terms of running out of specimen collection kits."
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, deep cough, and shortness of breath. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions are more at risk. Peoples says handwashing with soap and water is the best form of prevention, and anyone who is sick should stay home.
Coconino County’s hotline for information on COVID-19 is 928-679-7300. It operates from 8am to 9pm on weekdays and from 9 to 4 on Saturday. More information is available on their website, https://www.coconino.az.gov/covid19
