ETSU Health to transition drive-through COVID-19 testing site to Health Department

JOHNSON CITY (April 1, 2020) – With an increase in regional COVID-19 testing capacity, ETSU Health will close its drive-through COVID-19 testing site, located at 325 North State of Franklin, effective April 1, 2020. While the drive-through site will no longer be open, ETSU Health will continue to administer COVID-19 testing in its clinics.

“The local health department has just opened their drive-through testing sites in Washington County and the surrounding counties,” said Dr. Jonathan Moorman, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine. “These new sites are open to the public and, along with Ballad Health testing sites, are large enough to handle the demand for testing in our region at this time. These sites will test patients with symptoms of COVID-19 just as ETSU has done. We do not want to duplicate the same services they will be offering at these new sites.”

Since its opening on March 17, ETSU Health’s drive-through site has administered approximately 500 COVID-19 tests. The site was one of the first drive-through testing sites in Tennessee and was instrumental in detecting the first few cases of community spread of COVID-19 in the Appalachian Highlands.

“While we will not offer our own drive-through testing, ETSU Health will continue to test in our clinics and to work closely with the Health Department and our health care partners throughout the region to monitor the community spread of COVID-19,” Moorman said. “We are committed to continuing our efforts on the front lines to prevent, diagnose and treat the spread of the coronavirus.”

Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, and shortness of breath can contact the Health Department at 423-979-4689 for screening and further information on testing sites.