In the wake of a sudden rise in coronavirus cases in the area, the New River Valley Public Health Task Force will hold drive-thru COVID-19 testing on Tuesday, July 7, at Blacksburg High School, 3401 Bruin Lane, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This is a clinical site, not open to the public. Individuals will be tested by appointment.
For questions about COVID-19 or to request an appointment for testing, call the New River Health District’s COVID-19 public health call center at 540-267-8240. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. After hours, leave a message.
“We have administered more than 5,500 COVID-19 tests since broad community testing began,” said Noelle Bissell, director of the health district. “Testing is important to monitor cases as we begin to re-open, so we can investigate, trace the contacts of those infected and mitigate the spread of illness. Remember that the best protection for each of us comes from personal precautions, including hygiene and physical distancing.”
“The task force has created a mobile, flexible and scalable testing engine that can be deployed across the New River Valley, and it has helped us prevent COVID-19 from overloading our hospitals or compromising our public safety systems and services,” said Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson.
With infections in the area having doubled recently, it is now more important than ever for everyone to continue to observe the basic protocol that can help limit the coronavirus’ spread. The Virginia Department of Health encourages everyone to stay home as much as possible and wear a cloth face mask in public; to stay home when you are sick; to avoid contact with sick people; to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing; to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces; to call your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms; to practice physical distancing by maintaining at least six feet of space between yourself and other individuals when out in public; and to avoid close contact with crowds of any size, especially crowds of more than 50 people.
The most accurate and up-to-date information about the virus is available online at www.vdh.virginia.gov/new-river, www.nrvroadtowellness.com and at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus and www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
