HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — A new COVID-19 drive-thru testing site is opening Friday, May 15, in the Walmart parking lot located at 1601 Albert Pike Road, with tests to be offered at no cost.
The site is supported by Walmart, eTrueNorth and state and local officials to test anyone who meets guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local authorities on who should be tested, including those with symptoms of COVID-19 or first responders, healthcare providers and others and in high risk groups without symptoms.
The site will use a self-administered nasal swab observed by a trained medical professional to ensure the sample is taken correctly.
Those interested in being tested need to visit DoINeedaCOVID19test to determine eligibility for testing and to make an appointment. If individuals have difficulty scheduling an appointment online, they can call 800-635-8611.
Those getting tested are required to wear a mask and stay in their cars at all times. Appointments will be scheduled between 7-9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, weather permitting. A
schedule voucher from the completed online form will need to be shown at the drive-thru site. For the safety of those on-site, the test site is not available to those who walk up.
“Walmart is part of the community, and we are proud to help support the expansion of COVID-19 testing in Hot Springs during this unprecedented time,” said Michael Lindsay, Walmart public affairs director for Arkansas. “We are grateful to our associates who keep our stores running, our pharmacists who support these testing sites and to eTrueNorth and local officials as we work together to open the site and help our community.”
The site will be staffed by Walmart healthcare professionals, and eTrueNorth will handle processing test samples and communicating results to those tested and the Arkansas Department of Health.
While individuals who are tested are awaiting results, please follow CDC guidelines and take steps to help prevent the virus from spreading to people in your home and community.
For more information and resources relating to COVID-19 in Hot Springs and Garland County, including the locations of other testing sites in the county, visit here.