Every Tennessean will have access to free COVID-19 tests and any person who feels sick, regardless of specific symptoms, is encouraged to get tested, Gov. Bill Lee said on Wednesday.
“We encourage every Tennessean who isn’t feeling well or who has come in contact with someone who has had COVID-19 to get a test,” Lee said during a news conference. “When in doubt … get a test.”
Tennessee will be providing drive-thru testing sites for the next three weekends. There will be 33 drive-thru testing sites operating this weekend.
The tests will be administered by nurses and national guard medics. They will conduct nasal swabs of participants. All participants can stay in their vehicle for the entirely of the testing.
Results should be available within 72 hours, but could be longer, depending on lab volume.
The schedule and locations are available on the Tennessee Department of Health’s website.
Residents also can get free tests at local health departments Monday through Friday.
The increased availability means the state should be able to provide enough free tests for everyone in the state who needs one, whether they are in rural or urban areas, according to the governor.
“Until there is a vaccine for COVID-19, quickly detecting this illness, isolating if ill and practicing social distancing are the most powerful tools we have to stop the spread and help our state return to work,” Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said in a statement. “I encourage every Tennessean to remember: ‘when in doubt, get a test’ as we work to identify COVID-19 cases and keep our neighbors safe.”
A person with questions related to COVID-19 can call Tennessee’s Coronavirus Public Information Lines from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT daily at 833-556-2476 or 877-857-2945.
As of Wednesday’s report, the state has 6,079 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 135 deaths, and 663 total hospitalizations, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. The U.S. has had more than 641,000 cases and at least 28,443 deaths.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus. Symptoms appear within two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose and difficulty breathing.
