City, Kroger Health to offer drive-through COVID-19 testing

The City of Oak Ridge and Kroger Health will host free drive-through testing for COVID-19 in Oak Ridge next week.

The testing will be offered on Wednesday, April 15; Thursday, April 16; and Friday, April 17.

On those days, people with symptoms of COVID-19, a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly, can schedule an appointment through Kroger Health to be screened at the Oak Ridge High School parking lot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., a press release said.

“It is essential that testing be increased in order to fight this deadly virus,” Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said in the press release. “This testing will help us determine the degree of spread within the Oak Ridge community and surrounding area. Oak Ridge faces a unique challenge because we host thousands of workers and commuters to travel across our city every day.”

Under guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the only people who will be tested are people with symptoms or healthcare workers and first responders who have been exposed to the virus, the press release said. Symptoms include fever, cough, or shortness of breath.

Before attending the testing site, patients will be asked to schedule an appointment via Kroger Health’s online portal at www.krogerhealth.com/covidtesting.

“Kroger Health is proud to partner with the Anderson County Health Department in this important effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “This aligns perfectly with our vision, which is to help people live healthier lives.”

Scheduling an appointment is required to receive a test, the press release said.

People with appointments may enter the testing site at the Oak Ridge High School parking lot off the North Tulane Avenue entrance. Everyone who arrives should ensure all windows are up when in the testing area and have a photo identification ready. Kroger Health Associates will guide patients through the testing process, the press release said.

Test results can be expected within three to seven days, and Kroger Health is working to partner with labs that offer even faster turnaround time, the press release said.

“This testing period will be a superb opportunity for us to develop data on the degree of spread that is a concern to all of us,” Gooch said. “We are sincerely grateful to Kroger Health for partnering with us in this critical health and safety effort for the Oak Ridge community.”

Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley thanked Oak Ridge Schools administrators, including Bruce Borchers, Bruce Lay, and Martin McDonald for allowing the testing to take place in the high school parking lot.

The Oak Ridge Schools food pickup line will be temporarily moved to the Band Hall entrance of the school building during the three-day drive-through testing event, the press release said.