HRRMC will offer free community-wide COVID-19 testing for Chaffee County residents this Thursday, May 7, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
HRRMC is partnering with Chaffee County Public Health on this initiative – tests are by appointment only and must be pre-approved through Public Health. Any healthcare workers, first responders, and community members with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms will have the ability to be tested at this time. Symptoms include the following: Cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell. Those with severe difficulty breathing and shortness of breath should immediately go to the Emergency Department.
In order to receive approval for testing, community members must call Public Health at 719-539-4510. Each person will be medically screened over the phone, and if specific criteria are met, Public Health will send community members an appointment time to visit HRRMC’s facility during testing hours.
Testing will occur outside of the facility near the ED triage tent, via drive-through testing. Community members are asked to turn into the main hospital entrance off of Highway 291, make an immediate right turn, and wait in their car near the ED tent. Healthcare providers will meet people at their vehicles to conduct testing.
Since there is no fee associated with this test, approved community members will only need to bring a form of identification in order for HRRMC staff to assign and associate with their test, which will be sent out to the state lab for results. Public Health will contact all individuals with their results.
For additional information, please call Public Health at 719-539-4510.
