By Joshua Huff, sports editor
BIRMINGHAM — Birmingham’s newest drive-thru coronavirus testing site received more than 200 people during the first day of testing on Monday.
The site, which is located at the corner of University Boulevard and 22nd Street South, will be open seven days a week by appointment only. Appointments will be between 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
For those that display the symptoms of the coronavirus: cough, fever or shortness of breath, or believe that they have come in contact with someone who has the virus, they can call 205-975-1881 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. to be screened by a medical provider. If the caller has a positive screening then an appointment will be scheduled at the UAB site.
The actual test itself involves a doctor speaking to the patient through a cellphone and then evaluating said patient through the car window. Patients are not allowed to roll down the window until the final few seconds where a health care practitioner garbed in protective gear will swab them.
Those with health insurance will be billed at a later date while those who are uninsured will have to pay for the test.
As of Monday afternoon, there were 167 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Alabama. Eighty six of those confirmed cases are in Jefferson County. There are still no deaths associated with the outbreak in the state.