ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. — The Eastern Shore Health District announced it is offering free COVID-19 testing to residents this weekend.
A total of 1,500 tests will be conducted.
“It’s huge because a lot of people are concerned and have questions... so maybe this will help, you know, give them a little bit a piece of mind," said Eastern Shore Community College Police Chief David Branch.
The drive-thru testing clinic is in response to a triple in positive cases in Accomack County in the last week. The outbreaks have occurred at chicken plants in the county.
So far, the Virginia Department of Health has reported more than 420 cases as of Tuesday.
“Through some of the meat-packing plants and also long term care centers and the numbers are higher than we would like and order to stop this we need to find more information on how widespread this is," said VDH Regional Public Information Officer Larry Hill.
The drive-thru clinic will be held at Eastern Shore Community College on Friday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until testing supplies run out.
Health officials said residents will also be asked to complete a 5-minute questionnaire. The answers given will be confidential.
Test results will be given over the phone from the Eastern Shore Health District.
If you have any questions contact the Eastern Shore Health District at 757-787-5880 or visit the CDC website.