ADHS and DEMA Partner with HHS to Provide Additional Diagnostic Testing
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, USA – The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) announced details of a new partnership today with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide additional diagnostic testing in Arizona, with a focus on Maryvale and South Phoenix, according to an ADHS press release.
The federal strike team, working with ADHS, DEMA, and Phoenix Incident Command on logistics, will launch two testing sites that will provide free diagnostic testing for COVID-19 in these high-need, underserved communities.
The testing will begin on Friday, July 17, and continue for twelve days at South Mountain Park, 10919 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85042, and Maryvale High School, 3415 N 59th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85033. Information on pre-registration for the testing sites will be available at azhealth.gov/SurgeTesting. To ensure an appointment and reduce wait times, participants are encouraged to pre-register.
This test involves a self-administered nasal swab in a drive-thru stall. Those tested will receive five cloth face coverings. Results will be available within 24-48 hours from the time specimens arrive at the lab. The tested individual will receive the results through an online portal.
“This rapid surge in testing will have an immediate impact in containing COVID-19 and help us to increase testing in communities where it’s needed most,” said Governor Ducey. “My thanks to our federal partners and their continued partnership and for continuing to step up to aid public health in Arizona.”
“Increased community testing is a critical public health tool to help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Arizona,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS director. “Over the last several months we have been working with partners across the state to increase COVID-19 testing. The high volume, rapid testing that our federal partners can provide will help increase testing to underserved areas of the state. We appreciate the help from our federal, state, and local partners to increase access to testing.”
“I’m proud to partner with local incident commands to get them the federal resources they need to conduct necessary testing,” said Maj. Gen. Michael T. McGuire, Arizona Director of Emergency and Military Affairs. “Flattening this curve requires a whole-of-community approach, and we will support Phoenix incident commands just as we did with the Navajo Nation.”
The new partnership will further increase the number of people who are getting a diagnostic COVID-19 test. Since April, PCR diagnostic testing has increased by nearly 570% from 52,866 tests in April to 367,992 tests in June. There have been 54,578 PCR tests reported in the first week of July.
