The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the New Orleans Health Department announced Saturday that, beginning Sunday (March 22), drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be available to anyone with a fever and other symptoms.
The two drive-thru COVID-19 testing locations in Orleans Parish can perform up to 100 tests per day, per site. They will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until the 100-test cap has been reached.
The testing sites are:
• Mahalia Jackson Theater parking lot, 1419 Basin St.
• University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena parking lot, 6801 Franklin Ave.
Upon arrival at a site, individuals will be required to remain in their vehicles and to provide identification and health insurance information, although everyone will be tested regardless of whether or not they have insurance, city officials state.
Personnel in full medical protective gear will check the individual’s temperature with a no-touch thermometer and insert a nasal swab to obtain the necessary sample. Test results will be given by phone within three to five days.
For the safety of the testing personnel, the sites will not be able to accommodate walk-up testing. Individuals must arrive in a vehicle.
New Orleans had 352 diagnosed cases as of Saturday morning. Twelve of those cases have resulted in death.
The testing is made possible through a pilot program with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The drive-thru testing sites are operated by the city with assistance from the Louisiana National Guard, the Medical Reserve Corps and the U.S. Public Health Service.
The drive-thru testing became available Friday but was limited to health care workers and first-responders. See this flier for more information.
