'The Community Needs A Stopgap': Central Outreach Wellness Center Screen Hundreds More For COVID-19 At Zoo Parking Lot Drive-Thru
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Central Outreach Wellness Center has already tested nearly 1,000 people in the Pittsburgh-area community for Coronavirus, and yet another day of testing got started early Thursday.
Hundreds of more cars filled the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium parking lot this morning.
#NEW It takes less than 30 seconds. Close to 50 people have already been tested by my count at the zoo for COVID-19 within an hour of the drive thru testing site opening. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/cynMsKmRti
— Nicole Ford (@NicoleFordTV) March 26, 2020
The people inside lined up to see a medical professional in the makeshift drive-thru.
The first step is at a tent where each person is asked a variety of questions to see if they meet the CDC criteria. If not, they are sent home to help prevent further spread.
The rest are sent to the next tent for the actual COVID-19 test.
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About 50% of the people who show up get tested by medical professionals, who are protecting themselves with masks.
Central Outreach Wellness Center say they have tested 981 people since they started the drive-thru last week. They are still waiting on results for 394, but 38 people did test positive so far.
Even though that's only 6.5 percent, Dr. Stacy Lane says it shows there is a need for more testing.
"There are other viruses that are circulating in the community, there's flu, etc., that are causing respiratory symptoms, so there are other things out there and there's a lot of anxiety still," Dr. Stacy Lane, of Central Outreach Wellness Center, said. "I think the most important thing, the reason we're still here is that the community needs a stopgap."
Cars started lining up at 8 a.m., that's three hours before the testing started. They have 340 tests and will keep going until they run out.
More information on the Coronavirus pandemic: