SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio is ramping up coronavirus testing.
More drive-thru testing sites are soon expected to open up across the city as officials say the importance of getting residents tested goes hand-in-hand with future plans to reopen metro businesses.
One future testing site will be at a west-side Walmart. According to Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda, it will be the store off 410 and West Military, meaning it will reside within the boundaries of her district.
"Walmart could have gone to any city, but I am glad they chose San Antonio," she said. "There is really a need for it in our city. Any testing that they can offer is helpful to us—and it is free."
The councilwoman said it will be open starting Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for anyone exhibiting coronavirus symptoms. She said it will be appointment-based, and that the company will be in charge of the whole operation; the city, meanwhile, will provide security.
A link to sign up will be provided later on this week, as details are still being worked out.
"I am not sure if we are ever going to be rid of coronavirus," Havrda said. "I am not sure it is going away. So I think it is important to know how we can prevent, how it is moving throughout the city and our country, and I think these testing centers are pivotal."
The city is also working with Texas MedClinic to open a drive-thru site on the south side, though those logistics are still being finalized.
With talks of jump-starting the economy across the state, Metro Health officials say it's as important as ever to maximize testing efforts. According to Director Dawn Emerick, just over 12,000 residents have been tested for the virus in Bexar County.
"We want to ramp up and scale up," she said. "We want to make sure we are catching and testing every person that has symptoms or has been in close-contact with symptomatic people."
The drive-thru sites are strategically going to certain areas in San Antonio, where residents may not have access to other sites or health insurance. However, Emerick said a major challenge is not having the necessary materials.
"It is not about the swabs, it is about all the other stuff that come with providing all these tests out in the community," she said.
"If you have the trademark fever (or) cough, we want you to get tested," Mayor Ron Nirenberg said on Tuesday. "You don't have to have a primary care provider, primary health insurance provider. Simply call the hotline, get screened and go in a for test. We want you to get tested. Not getting tested makes it hard for us to assess where the infection is in our community."
The city is also in talks with the Texas National Guard about opening three more additional sites, hopefully in the next week. The Metro Health Hotline is (210)207-5779.