Dean of UTRGV School of Medicine discusses drive-thru testing for COVID-19

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - UT-Rio Grande Valley’s School of Medicine is looking to test 100 individuals a day for COVID-19.Working with UT Health RGV, the Office of Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, Hidalgo and Cameron county leaders, and the City of Brownsville, UTRGV SOM has established two drive-thru testing sites, one in Brownsville and one in Edinburg.Dr. John Krouse, dean of the UTGV SOM, said the Valley should expect a spike in positive cases of COVID-19 in the coming weeks, in part because of an increase in testing.“The UTRGV School of Medicine is at the forefront of providing our community with healthcare resources, including COVID-19 testing,” he said. “We are proud of our healthcare professionals for stepping up, and we thank Congressman Vicente Gonzalez for being instrumental in making sure we obtained the testing kits necessary to serve our community,” Krouse said.Krouse said the drive-thru sites will be open to employees, students and the public, and on-site evaluations will be available by appointment only for those 18 years of age or older who qualify after mandatory telephone screening.To make an appointment, call ahead to the UT Health RGV Patient Communications Center at 1-833 – UTRGVMD (1-833-887-4863) to be screened. Telephone screening will be mandatory. Krouse added that protocols have been put in place to avoid testing-site congestion; to make sure that test kits will be used for those with severe symptoms; and to ensure that social distancing and other safety protocols are maintained.He said healthcare professionals will be present to ensure that everyone follows the drive-thru testing protocols, and to help avoid the spread of COVID-19.Individuals without insurance can get screened for COVID-19 at no cost. Results of the tests will be confirmed within days for those tested, and prescriptions for testing will be provided by UTRGV physicians at the point of care.Individuals should arrive at the UT Health RGV drive-thru testing site with their identification.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.