Testing clinic to be held in Tate County
Another in a series of free coronavirus testing clinics will be held in Tate County on Thursday, Aug. 20, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC).
You must make an appointment to be tested and to do that, please call the UMMC screening line at 601-496-7200 any time between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the online screening form at the UMMC website.
Similar free clinics in the near future for the area will include Friday, Aug. 21 at the BancorpSouth Arena parking lot in Tupelo, and at Paul Battle Arena in Tunica on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Only people with an appointment will be tested at the clinics and those people are asked to be on time for their appointments.
People will stay in their vehicles and providers wearing protective gear will come to the car window. The provider will insert a long, nasopharyngeal swab deep into the nose of the person being tested, similar to a flu test. The specimen they retrieve will go to UMMC for laboratory testing.
According to UMMC, people will be contacted with their test results. In the meantime, it is crucial for everyone who has been tested to go home. Self-isolate at home, away from friends and family, for at least 14 days from when symptoms first began or three days after symptoms improve significantly, whichever time is longer. Stay at least six feet away from others and avoid groups of 20 or more people, even when quarantine is no longer needed.
