Gov. Andy Beshear announced Sunday a partnership with Kroger to offer drive-thru testing for the coronavirus, with the overall goal of the service to conduct 20,000 tests across the state over the next five weeks.
The first site is at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, though Beshear said he expects to add locations this week and next. The testing will be free of charge and open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
Test results are expected within approximately 48-hours, and about 250 tests per location are expected to be available each day.
Those eligible for the test include people with symptoms, health care workers, first responders, anyone 65 and older, and individuals with chronic health conditions.
“I’m very excited about this. It’s good news,” Beshear said. “We’ve been working with Kroger for several weeks just trying to get it right. The potential here, just from this program, could almost double the amount of testing we have right now.”
Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health, said it’s important to help expand testing across the state, and an innovative part of Kroger’s testing solution has to do with a digital registration process.
“We believe this process is the first in the commonwealth and maybe the nation to provide a very easy way for people to register for the test,” she said.
Kentuckians can register at thelittleclinic.com/drivethru-testing, where they can find a location and schedule an appointment. Residents seeking a test can also call 1-888-852-2567.
Registrants will receive an email confirmation with pre-appointment paperwork to complete. When a person arrives for their test, they should have their photo ID ready and should leave their window rolled up for check-in, until a health care practitioner comes to the car for the test.
Project partners Kroger Health, UPS, Gravity Diagnostics, Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, Kentucky Department for Public Health, Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kentucky National Guard and Franklin County.
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For the latest information and data on COVID-19 in Kentucky visit kycovid19.ky.gov or dial the Kentucky state hotline at 800-722-5725.
For the latest health guidelines and resources from the CDC, visit their website here.
