July 12, 2020 Region 5 Office of Public Health extends mobile COVID-19 testing hours; new lab partner providing quicker results

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jul 12, 2020 - Throughout this week, mobile testing sites in southwest Louisiana have extended their hours and will be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. from Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17.

These sites will also be using the laboratory eTrueNorth to conduct the tests and provide results. Pre-registration is NOT required but encouraged by going to www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com.  

Those who are pre-registered can use an express line for faster testing. On-site registration is also available, but testing will take longer than arriving with pre-registration completed.

People must provide a telephone number and email address to be tested. An ID is NOT required.

With eTrueNorth laboratory processing the tests, it is taking about 72 hours to get results. This has been the turnaround time experienced in Baton Rouge last week at the five sites using eTrueNorth.

Test results will be provided by email notification and on the eTrueNorth portal. If someone tests positive, they will also be contacted by phone. There is no phone number to call for results. Results will only be provided by email and in the portal.

Mobile testing uses trucks and equipment operated by the Louisiana National Guard to bring testing kits to neighborhood locations such as schools, community centers, fire stations and other local neighborhood locations.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Testing Dates and Sites

Dates and locations are listed below for this week’s test sites by parish.

ALLEN PARISH

BEAUREGARD PARISH

CALCASIEU PARISH

CAMERON PARISH

JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH

Test site details

• The sites are staffed by members of LANG and are open for a period of five days per week: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m.
• Testing is for open for any Louisiana resident 16 years of age and older. LANG-operated sites require valid Louisiana identification. However, other testing sites may not require ID.
• Each testing site will be conducted as a drive-thru test site.
• Once on site, those being tested will need to wear a mask and stay in their cars for verification of eligibility criteria, ID check and self-administered test. Walk-up testing is not preferred due to safety concerns, but walk-ups will not be turned away.
• The site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose on site while in their vehicles, observed by a trained medical volunteer to ensure the sample is taken correctly, and drop the sealed sample into a container on their way out of the drive-thru site.
• Once received, test results will be available in the eTrueNorth portal and by email. Those who test positive will receive a phone call.
• While awaiting results, individuals who have been tested should follow CDC guidelinesand take steps to help prevent the virus from spreading to people in their home and community.

Save the number 877-766-2130 in your phone

• Anyone who receives a call from 877-766-2130 is urged to answer, as the call is from a contact tracer who will keep an individual's information private. Personal information is used to quickly identify anyone a COVID-positive individual may have been in close contact with to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone called by a contact tracer is advised to watch themselves for signs of illness for 14 days from when they first came in contact with the COVID-19 person.
• If a resource need is identified through the contact tracing interview, the case is flagged for follow-up from a resource coordinator social worker who can connect individuals with resources including medication, masks, food assistance and even help locating alternative housing.

If someone calls from a number other than 877-766-2130, claims to be a contact tracer and asks for personal information, hang up immediately.