Baton Rouge, LA – May 1, 2020 – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Senator Regina Barrow announced Friday a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site will open Monday near Cortana Mall in the Walmart parking lot to serve East Baton Rouge Parish. The site is supported by Walmart, Quest Diagnostics and state and local officials. The site will test those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and all health care providers and first responders.

“A key component to protecting our citizens is to increase testing in our community. This testing site will accept anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. I urge our residents to take advantage of this resource,” said Mayor Broome. “Do not stigmatize this virus. Anyone can catch it and getting tested is essential to slowing the spread in our community.”

A doctor’s order is not required to receive the test, but patients will need to make an appointment.

“Any resident exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms should take advantage of this drive-thru testing site right away. The testing site is easy to access and there are no financial barriers,” said Senator Barrow. “Getting tested allows you to know if you or your loved ones are at risk.”

There is no cost to the individual. Please note, testing is not available inside Walmart stores.

“Walmart is part of the community, and we are proud to help support the expansion of COVID-19 testing in East Baton Rouge Parish during this unprecedented time,” said Tice White, Walmart Public Affairs Director for Louisiana. “We are grateful to our associates who keep our stores running, our pharmacists who support these testing sites, and to Quest Diagnostics and local officials as we work together to open the site and help our communities.”

Details regarding the testing sites:

• Location: Baton Rouge Walmart Parking Lot, 9350 Cortana Place, Baton Rouge, LA 70815
• The site is open each week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., weather permitting
• Testing is for those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and all health-care providers and first responders.
• The testing site will require an appointment through Quest’s MyQuestTM online portal and app, www.MyQuestCOVIDTest.com, which will screen and schedule appointments for those individuals that meet medical eligibility for the testing sites.
• Once on site, those being tested will need to wear a mask and stay in their cars for verification of eligibility criteria, ID check and self-administered test. For the safety of all those on-site, the test site is not available to those who walk up. 
• The site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose onsite while in their vehicles, observed by a trained medical volunteer to ensure the sample is taken correctly, and drop the sealed sample into a container on their way out of the drive-thru site.
• Quest Diagnostics will handle processing test samples and communicating results to those tested and applicable departments of health.
• Any questions regarding testing and appointments, please call Quest’s dedicated COVID-19 line at 866-448-7719, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
• The site will be staffed by Walmart pharmacists and associates.  
• 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 everyone’s safety and for the privacy of those being tested, media should not attempt to enter the testing site.