TARRANT COUNTY (WBAP-KLIF)- COVID-19 Testing is now available for Tarrant County Residents.
Beginning April 24th, the City of Arlington will begin free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing for eligible residents at the Parks Mall. Tests will be by appointment only between 9 a.m to 4 p.m. for residents ages 18 and up who are exhibiting symptoms or an essential worker. Those who are interested must pre-register with the City by phone or through the City’s Coronavirus website for a specific time slot to receive the nasal swab test, which will be conducted by a local, private lab.
Residents with appointments must show a valid photo ID with proof of residency at the test site. Those who show up without a confirmed appointment will be turned away.
How Pre-Registration Will Work:
Go to www.arlingtontx.gov/coronavirus and review the list of pre-screening criteria to determine your eligibility for a test. If you meet the criteria, fill out the form and select a testing time slot. It is recommended that appointments be scheduled a minimum of one day in advance. People may also call the Arlington Fire Department at 817-459-6029 and leave a voice message with their name, phone number and address to schedule an appointment.
The Arlington Fire Department staff will follow up with a phone call to verify your scheduled drive-thru testing appointment time and provide further instructions.
If you do not currently meet testing criteria, you will be able to revisit the website to request an appointment if your symptoms change in the following days.
How the Drive-Thru Testing Will Work:
When a patient arrives at the drive-thru testing location, they must remain in their vehicle with the windows rolled up.
Patients must show their identification to the testing site personnel through their rolled up car window.
The personnel at the testing site will then advise the patient on the next steps of the test, which is similar to a nasal swab for the flu.
Test results will be provided to the patient through the local private lab’s website.
If a patient tests positive for COVID-19, they will receive a phone call from the Arlington Fire Department with instructions on how to mitigate additional community spread of the virus, as well as guidance on how to monitor symptoms to determine if additional medical supervision is necessary.
You should consider getting tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms and meet the testing eligibility criteria listed below:
Have a fever over 99.6, cough or shortness of breath
and one of these conditions below:
Employed as a healthcare or essential worker
Are over 65
Have chronic health conditions
Walgreens will also operate a free drive-through COVID-19 testing location in Fort Worth beginning Friday, April 24.
Testing will be conducted outdoors on the property at 8600 Camp Bowie West Boulevard, where Walgreens pharmacists will oversee patients’ self-administration of the COVID-19 test, using Abbott’s ID NOW COVID19 test.
“Testing plays a critical role in evaluating our re-opening strategy and I am grateful Walgreens has stepped up to help us test more residents and ultimately help our community move forward” said Mayor Betsy Price.
Testing is available by appointment only seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to individuals who meet eligibility criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To schedule an appointment, individuals must first visit Walgreens.com/coronavirus to complete an online health assessment to determine eligibility.
A list of additional private facilities offering COVID-19 testing in the Fort Worth area can be found on the city website: fortworthtexas.gov/covid-19/prevention
