Baltimore Announces Initiative To Provide COVID-19 Testing At Mobile Neighborhood Clinics
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- COVID-19 tests will be offered at mobile neighborhood-based clinics for Baltimore City residents, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said Friday.
The testing will not require a doctor's referral or appointment to get a test. Instead, testing will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis while testing supplies last.
They were offered this week in the Brooklyn, Cherry Hill and Highlandtown neighborhoods, she said.
"This week, we were able to provide over 150 tests on Tuesday and Thursday to residents in the Brooklyn and Cherry Hill neighborhoods, and we provided additional testing to our Highlandtown neighborhood today with plans to expand some other sites around the city as more tests become available," She said.
She added the selection of these mobile testing sites is based on "our analysis of testing and case data in communities" and access to health care within a community.
They are still encouraging people to call their primary care physician or if they don't have one, call 211 to get information about testing based on each person's health profile.
She said the city is averaging at about 571 tests per day, and the city needs to see an average of 2,700 to 2,800 tests per day to safely lift the stay-at-home order.
"The fact remains that not enough tests have been made available to Baltimore City, a situation shared by many other Maryland jurisdictions," She said.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
