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Free drive through COVID-19 testing kicks off in Tennessee

This is the first weekend many counties were able to offer free drive through testing to residents without coronavirus symptoms.

CLAIBORNE COUNTY, Tenn. — This is the first weekend many counties in Tennessee offered free drive through COVID-19 testing.

It comes after Governor Bill Lee's announcement earlier this week to offer more testing to Tennesseans without symptoms.

We know more than 90,000 people have been tested and 6,762 have tested positive so far.

In more rural communities like Claiborne County, the easily accessible free testing is crucial.

The Claiborne County Health Department said there was a steady stream of people at its free testing event on Saturday. Close to 100 people came to get checked for the virus just in case.

RELATED: 6,762 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Tennessee, including 3,234 recoveries & 145 deaths

Not everyone in the line of cars had coronavirus symptoms— including Claiborne County resident Martin Hunt.

"We just wanted to take advantage of it just to be precautionary and protect ourselves and others." Hunt explained from his car.

Garnet Southerland, the Claiborne, Grainger & Union county public health director says this is a trend they are hoping to see more of in the coming weeks.

"They're wanting to make sure that they haven't been exposed," Southerland explained. "There have been a few people who may have symptoms who come through and they're just wanting to be safe, but they're wanting to rule this out so they can have peace of mind."

The free drive through testing in Claiborne county is just one of the new public health sites offering tests statewide.

"Daily calls and testing have increased and then this is our first weekend for this site to have drive through testing, but we have a steady flow throughout the day and look to be able to serve many of our community members," Southerland said.

RELATED: Here's what it's actually like to do COVID-19 drive thru nose swab testing

In more rural communities like Claiborne, Grainger and Union counties, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases is in the single digits. With more testing available, though, those numbers could rise.

"It is possible you could see more cases in your community with increased testing, and that's what we want to see," Southerland added. "If there are cases within our communities so that we can do contact tracing and isolate and quarantine those individuals as needed."

For the people actually coming to get tested, it's more about the well-being of their community.

"Take advantage of it because you're not only doing it for yourself but you're doing it for your neighbors," Hunt urged.

Additional drive through testing locations are offering services on Sunday, April 19.

  • Claiborne County, Claiborne County Health Department 620 Davis St., New Tazewell, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • Grainger County, Grainger County Health Department 185 Justice Center Drive, Rutledge, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • Roane County, Roane State Community College - Harriman Campus, 276 Patton Lane, Harriman, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
  • Union County, Union County Health Department 4335 Maynardville Highway, Maynardville, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Health officials continue to urge the importance of proper social distancing and precautionary measures, like washing your hands and wearing masks in public, as recommended by the CDC.

RELATED: Want to get tested for COVID-19 in East TN, even without symptoms? Here's where to go

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