Pierce County has expanded its COVID testing effort with a new station to meet increased demand.
The Pierce County COVID Testing Station – located at 3003 107th St. S., Lakewood, 98499 – is a former vehicle emissions testing location. The station is open 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays, and is operated by Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (DEM).
Since the facility was originally set up for vehicles to line up and people to stay in their cars it was considered a good space for COVID testing. This new site is for drive-thru testing only. The tests are free and open to everyone. People do not need to have symptoms to get tested at the station or the county’s mobile test sites.
The Pierce County COVID Testing Station is intended to add capacity to the county’s testing program. It is also open later for people who cannot get to the mobile sites that close earlier in the day.
The mobile testing stations remain in operation at various locations in Pierce County. The mobile stations have tested more than 70,000 people since they opened in July. Testing surged in November and some mobile sites saw 1,000 patients a day. Last month almost 25,000 people were tested.
“The mobile sites were created to meet people where they lived and worked so testing was convenient – in addition to being free,” said Pierce County Emergency Management Director Jody Ferguson. “The Pierce County COVID Testing Station has the same mission – to test as many people as possible, as conveniently as possible, and remain free.”
People are notified five to seven days after they take the test – whether they go to the station or a mobile testing site. Positive cases are prioritized for contact.
Like the mobile testing sites, the station is funded with CARES Act dollars from the federal government. DEM has also used CARES Act funds to purchase and supply PPE used by the community during the pandemic. This has included PPE for school districts, local medical offices, fire districts and other professionals.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mike Halliday, Public Information Specialist
Pierce County Emergency Management
253-244-8766
Mike.Halliday@PierceCountyWA.gov