Those With COVID-19 Symptoms Urged To Get Tested

With increased testing capacity in Lincoln, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) are encouraging those with symptoms of COVID-19 to use the free drive-through testing services.  Those symptoms include fever, cough and sore throat.

Bryan Health can do 80 to 100 tests per day, and CHI Health can do about 30 per day.

The process for both locations begins with a free online questionnaire at CHIHealth.com and BryanHealth.com. The questionnaire assesses the individual’s risk.

If testing is recommended, the individual is given an order and referred to one of these drive-through testing sites that are available to the public seven days a week.

• CHI Health’s drive-through site is open from 3 to 5 p.m. at North Star High School at 5801 North 33rd Street.
• Bryan Health’s drive-through site is open from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at its LifePointe location at 7501 S. 27th Street.

The drive through tests are only available to those with a doctor’s order or an order from CHI Health or Bryan Health.

Those who experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing may need to take more immediate action and should contact their health care providers or go to the emergency room.  Those who don’t have a health care provider can contact the Health Department at 402-441-8006 for assistance.

Individuals do not have to get out of their cars to be tested, and the process prevents potential exposure to staff at a doctor’s office or hospital.  Those who are tested will be asked to self-quarantine at home until the test results come back, generally within 48 hours.

“I want to thank Bryan Health and CHI Health for offering drive-through testing that is convenient and safe,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird.  “The expansion of testing is another way that we can prevent the spread of this virus.”

Forty of the City’s lab-confirmed cases have been determined to be community acquired.

“With the increase in community spread cases, we should assume there is risk of exposure any time we are out in a public space where other people are present,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird.

The latest information on local coronavirus response is available at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov and health.lincoln.ne.gov.  LLCHD has established a hotline at 402-441-8006 for questions on COVID-19.