Any resident of Alabama, children included, can be tested for COVID-19 at three testing sites that are accepting appointments until the end of business hours on Sept. 2.
There are no requirements other than being willing to drive to one of the sites, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. One is in Tuscaloosa County and two are in Jefferson County.
“Anyone who has a known contact to a person with COVID-19 or suspects being exposed is urged to take advantage of this free testing which is being offered for a limited time only,” ADPH said in a release. “Persons without symptoms should consider testing between four and seven days after their last known exposure to a COVID-19 case. The incubation period of COVID-19 is two to 14 days.”
Appointments can be made online between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day except Sunday from now through Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the following locations:
- Riverchase Galleria, 2500 Galleria Circle (Sears parking lot), Hoover
- Cathedral of the Cross, 1480 Center Point Parkway, Birmingham
- Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Service Training – Logistics Center, 3311 Kauloosa Ave., Tuscaloosa
Each person being tested will be asked questions, receive a package to painlessly swab their own nostrils, and return the specimen kit. Laboratory results will be returned in five days or less.
The federal Department of Health and Human Services donated testing resources to Alabama last week to surge 60,000 tests in the state in 12 days. Only about 750 tests have been administered per day when the state has the capacity to do up to 5,000 tests per day.
