Drive-thru COVID testing to be offered in Beauregard Parish

Published 6:00 pm Saturday, May 30, 2020

Beauregard Parish officials announced this week that drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites will be made available to parish residents beginning next week.

According to officials, the Louisiana Department of Health will begin offering free tests to residents at multiple sites across the parish beginning June 4.

Each site will offer a self-administered nasal swab that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose onsite, while remaining inside their vehicles as trained medical volunteers observe them and ensure the sample is taken correctly. Participants will then drop their sealed samples into a container as they exit the drive-thru site.

The tests will be sent to the Office of Public Health, whose office will contact individuals regarding their test results and communicate any necessary information. You do not have to have symptoms or a referral from a doctor to participate in the testing, officials said.

While awaiting their results, officials advise those who have been tested to follow CDC guidelines regarding social distancing.

All drive-thru test sites will operate from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

They will begin on Thursday, June 4, at the South Beauregard Upper Elementary School and again on Friday, June 5.

On June 10, 11 and 12, a testing site will be set up at the BeauCARE parking lot located at 628 High School Drive.

On June 18 and 19, testing will be offered in Merryville at the pavilion located at 601 Hennigan St.

On June 24, the testing site will return to the South Beauregard Upper Elementary School and on June 25, the site will return to BeauCARE.

The final day will be on June 26 at the Merryville pavilion.

The testing sites are being conducted through a partnership of state officials with the Louisiana National Guard. Walk-up testing is not recommended due to safety reasons, however officials say walkups to sites will not be turned away.