COLORADO SPRINGS — UCHealth is offering more accessible COVID-19 testing options for Colorado Springs residents.
With students returning back to campus, UCHealth continues to offer a drive-thru location as a quick testing option. The tests will be administered in the parking lot east of Printers Plaza Medical Plaza at 175. S. Union Blvd.
The chief medical officer for UCHealth Memorial Hospital, Dr. David Steinbruner, explained that the hospital created this testing site in response to the spike in Coronavirus cases the community has been seeing. He also believes that a drive-thru testing site is a better option for people who are just experiencing mild COVID symptoms and/or people who are not sick and just need to be tested for school/work.
"We’ve recently seen large volumes of people with very mild symptoms–or no symptoms-coming to our Urgent Care clinics for COVID-19 testing, even though our drive-thru site is a much quicker and easier option," he said in a press release to KOAA News5. "Utilizing the drive-thru eliminates the wait people might experience at our other clinics and enables them to stay in their vehicle for test swab, which can be done in a matter of minutes."
Although this is a quick and easy way to get tested, Dr. Steinbruner insists that the drive-thru site is not for people who are experiencing severe symptoms. If a patient is having any harsh reactions that could be related to COVID-19, the doctor urges them to go to a hospital immediately.
Appointments can be made through My Health Connection and people with a provider order can seek testing at the drive-thru location without having to make an appointment. The drive-thru test site is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays.
