COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has begun mass testing for the coronavirus in South Carolina.
DHEC says drive-thru mobile testing clinics are beginning to pop-up throughout the state and are available for anyone who wants a test. There is no paperwork and you need not have symptoms to be tested.
The department has created a webpage to post information and location specifics for the test.
Once on the site South Carolinians can scroll through a list which will give them addresses, dates, and times of testing clinics. The information continuously updated so you'll need to check back often.
"Number one, it’s disease detection," says Dr. Linda Bell, the state's epidemiologist. "We want to understand how this outbreak is occurring in South Carolina so that the surveillance data is important for planning about where the resources need to be and how effective we are in community prevention. But it’s also important at the individual level, that a person who is positive knows their status so they can isolate themselves from others until they are no longer infectious."
The screening and specimen collections are free for anyone and are part of the ongoing efforts to increase testing in undeserved and rural communities across the state.
There are nearly 35 test scheduled throughout the state through the month of May. To find more information on testing, click HERE.