Coronavirus Testing Site Announced For Salida

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DENVER (CBS4) - Some Colorado communities that have not received coronavirus testing yet will soon get those resources, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says. A drive-thru testing site will open in Salida on Saturday.

Health care workers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment check in with people waiting to be tested for COVID-19 at the state's first drive-up testing center on March 12, 2020 in Denver. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

The Colorado National Guard and the Chaffee County Public Health will be at the county fairgrounds on County Road 120 to help administer the tests from noon to 4 p.m.. County residents with a doctor's note will be tested.

"If you have symptoms (fever, cough, and shortness of breath), don't wait for a test to self-isolate," the CDPHE urged.

The test is free, and residents do not need to show proof of insurance. Each person in a vehicle must have their own doctor's note.

Health officials will test the first 100 people. All others are asked to be tested through a private health provider.

CDPHE says they are prioritizing areas that have not been highly tested to get a better idea of how COVID-19 is spreading.

Other testing locations will be announced next week, officials say.