PIMA COUNTY, July 9, 2020 – The Pima County Health Department and Paradigm Laboratories will begin free COVID-19 tests Monday, July 13 at the Kino Event Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way. Testing will be by appointment only.
To register for a test, the public can go to pima.gov/covid19testing and click on the Schedule My Test link, or they can also call 800-369-3584 to schedule an appointment. No walk-in tests will be conducted, people must have an appointment. The Testing Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m, Monday through Saturday. Testing will continue at the Center until it is no longer needed to control the pandemic.
Paradigm is conducting the tests for the County and is promising fast results, depending on the volume of individuals seeking a test. People seeking a test do not need a doctor’s order to get the test.
“Widespread testing for anyone who has symptoms or who has been exposed, or thinks they have been exposed, is absolutely vital for getting control of this virus,” said Pima County Health Director Dr. Theresa Cullen.
The effort will meld with the Health Department’s contact tracing program, which is adding 150 new contact tracers this month to those already working for the Health Department.
“Rapid test results and quick tracing will help us isolate the sick, or the potentially sick, and cut the virus off and stop the spread. This and widespread use of face masks and continued physical distancing is how we’re going to get this virus under control,” Cullen said.
Everyone going to the Testing Center will be asked to provide contact information which, will be given to the County’s contact tracing team when there are positive results.
“One of the problems we’ve had with tracing since the pandemic began is the Health Department often gets informed of a positive test nearly two weeks after the patient got tested, making quarantining moot. And we often only get the patient’s name, making it quite difficult to conduct any worthwhile contact tracing. This program solves both of those problems,” Cullen said.
Paradigm said it’s prepared to conduct up to 1,000 tests a day. The County’s website and the appointment hotline will provide information about parking and other safety information for arriving at the testing center. Patient must arrive at their appointment time. Patients who arrive early must wait in their car. Late arrivals must reschedule.
Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said in addition to making this program available to the general public, he will be contacting other local governments, including school districts, to determine if they would like to participate. He will also make the program available to the business community as a quick an easy way companies can get their employees tested to control or stop debilitating or devastating workplace outbreaks. It will also reduce the need for any unnecessary quarantining for those testing negative, aiding productivity.
The program is funded by the County’s federal CARES Act grant.
MEDIA CONTACT: Dr. Theresa Cullen, County Health Director, at eocpio@pima.gov.
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