Local people take advantage of mobile COVID-19 testing

Twenty-seven people got tested for the COVID-19 illness at the Union County Fairgrounds Thursday, Union County Emergency Management Director Curt Clayton said.

He said that 35 actually showed up but some information did not match so not all were able to use the in-vehicle testing. He did not have more details concerning exactly what the problem was.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi Department of Health came to New Albany to perform the tests and have been setting up one-day, drive-through collection sites around the state.

Those who wanted to be tested had to first go through a free screening from a UMMC clinician, either through the C Spire Health telehealth smartphone app or by phone.

Officials say hundreds of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC-MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include, as of the end of the day May 8, a total 1,715 people at 49 one-day testing states statewide, plus 4,005 more at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, for a total of 5,744 tested.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. UMMC and C Spire have partnered to make the screening free to all Mississippians.