Mobile COVID-19 testing site opens at church in Lexington’s East End

Lexingtonians lined up Thursday at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lexington’s East End, where a new COVID-19 testing site has opened.

The new site is being operated by Bluewater Diagnostic Laboratory, and will allow for free drive-up or walk-up testing, and will give access to testing to areas that have been harder hit by the virus, according to a press release from the Mayor’s office.

Mayor Linda Gorton said in the release that Bluewater will be able to process around 1,000 tests per day. The site allows for test recipients to drive up and receive a test, or recipients can walk to the site and get tested on foot. According to Bluewater’s website, test results are available between 24 and 48 hours.

“Thanks to our collaboration with Bluewater Diagnostic Laboratory, we are able to bring the Mobile Neighborhood Testing Program to several areas of our City,” Gorton said. “These testing locations will allow both walk-up and drive-up testing, at no cost to the community.”

Dr. Joseph Owens is the pastor of Shiloh Baptist, and he said he is pleased with the new testing site at his church.

“I think it’s going to be a tremendous asset,” Owens said. “My prayer is that more people will be tested. Testing will help us protect ourselves.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, minority populations are more likely to become ill with COVID-19, regardless of age. Because of this, Owens said he feels that increased testing in minority neighborhoods will show how far reaching this issue is.

“Testing is not going to eradicate the problem,” Owens said. “Just reveal it.”

Owens said normally, around 700 people worship at Shiloh Baptist. However, even though churches in Kentucky are currently allowed to reopen under new guidelines, Shiloh has not done so and currently is not planning to reopen soon.

“There’s nothing now that will make us change our minds,” Owens said. “It doesn’t matter your age or your color. It’s going to affect us all.”

Lexington-Fayette County Commissioner of Health Dr. Kraig Humbaugh said the new test site will help increase testing for Black and Hispanic communities in Lexington, which have been disproportionately affected by the virus.

“Testing at Shiloh Baptist Church helps make testing more available to these communities by being more convenient to where they live and work,” Humbaugh said.

Testing at the church began on Thursday, July 9. Testing will be available on Friday, July 10 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Additionally, testing is available seven days a week at the Walgreen’s site at 2296 Executive Drive. Those wishing to receive a test are recommended, but not required, to make an appointment.

Another testing site is located on the Newtown campus of the Bluegrass Community and Technical College. According to the release those wishing to get tested at this site can make an appointment online, and appointments are available Monday through Friday.

This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 3:50 PM.