Free COVID-19 testing available in Memphis this weekend

A big series of free COVID-19 testing events takes place in Memphis Saturday and Sunday.

A big weekend of free COVID-19 testing events continues in Memphis this Sunday, Nov. 22.

It comes as the coronavirus is spreading rapidly this fall in Memphis and across the country, and public health officials are warning people to avoid Thanksgiving travel and large gatherings.

"Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of COVID transmission during the holiday season," the city government said in a statement. "It’s important to know your status and take measures to protect yourself and your loved ones. Getting tested will help reduce the spread of COVID-19." 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should not socialize with others until you get medical clearance.

Here are the sites and locations for the special testing events.

• Shelby County Schools building. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday at 2687 Avery Avenue in Midtown.
• Poplar Healthcare. 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at 3495 Hacks Cross Road near Bill Morris Parkway.
• Former Lamar vehicle inspection station. 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at 1720 RKS Commercial Cove, near the intersection of Lamar and I-240.
• Appling location. 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. 2355 Appling City Cove, near I-40 and Appling Road. 

At these events, testing is available for everyone, with symptoms or without. 

Bring a driver's license or another form of ID. You may register in advance at poplarhealthcare.regfox.com/surge-testing-event. However, registration isn't required.

Testing results should be available within one to three days.

This weekend's events are organized by the Memphis government, Shelby County Schools and lab company Poplar Healthcare.

Can't come to one of this weekend's events? Other options are available

If none of those times and locations will work for you, a wide range of other testing options is available. 

For a list of other testing sites, visit www.covid19.memphistn.gov. If you prefer to use the telephone, call 833-943-1658 or 901-222-6275 and an operator will help you find a testing site.

CDC has warned against Thanksgiving travel, big groups.

"Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year," the Centers for Disease Control said this week.

The CDC recommends keeping any family gatherings small, socially distant and when possible, outdoors. People should wear masks whenever possible.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said this year he's cancelling his family's traditional large Thanksgiving family gathering. Instead, a small number of people will eat on the porch.

At the local level, officials including Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and infectious disease expert Dr. Manoj Jain have also strongly advised against big gatherings this year.

In a video message, Jain pointed to recent exponential growth in the illness, along with high levels of hospitalizations and deaths.

"So lastly, I want to urge you to stay at home this holiday season and please, don't get together with extended family and friends," Jain said.

Testing infrastructure is far better than at the start of the pandemic

When the first COVID-19 case was discovered in Memphis in March, no COVID-19 testing was available locally, and a lab director drove a specimen hundreds of miles to Nashville to confirm the diagnosis.

As of this month, nearly 14,000 tests were available at various community sites in the Memphis area, according to the joint COVID-19 task force. That number does not include the special events listed above.

All testing sites were reporting good capacity, with 60% to 77% utilization. They were also reporting results turnaround time of one to two days.

The reported turnaround time is much better than this summer, when delays of multiple days were common.

One of the major COVID-19 testing labs in the Memphis area is associated with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

It processes samples collected from various places, including Regional One Health, the Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare system, the Veterans Administration employees and the medical examiner's office, said Tim Hodge. 

He's director of pathology with University Clinical Health, an organization affiliated with the university. 

The lab has recently had some of its busiest days ever — on Tuesday, for instance, it processed over 1,000 tests, he said.

That's a lot, but it's still well within the lab's capacity of more than 1,800 tests per day, he said.

At the moment, the lab is processing samples within six to eight hours from their arrival in the lab, and patients should receive their results in less than 24 hours, he said.

Like other labs, the UT-affiliated lab uses machines to automate and speed up the testing process. 

In the future, the lab wants to pursue the possibility of processing saliva tests in addition to the nasal swab tests in use today, he said.

Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.