KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo County is opening a test-collection site for the coronavirus.
The site will open on April 8, according to the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department.
The test-collection site will be located at the department in Kalamazoo.
The site will only collect test specimens from people who have been "pre-screened and received an appointment by their provider."
Law enforcement will be at the site for security purposes.
The test-collection process will involve several steps:
- Patients will not leave their vehicle for test collection
- Appointments will be verified through proof of ID and appointment records
- Clinical staff from WMed Health will collect the specimen while wearing the appropriate PPE
- The specimen obtained will be sent to the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories
The department also said that the process for obtaining a coronavirus test "has not changed."
A health care provider makes the decision whether to order a test after a evaluating a patient. The provider may order a specimen to be collected for testing, if it's needed and based upon laboratory criteria,
The test-collection site is being "made possible" through a collaboration with the Region 5 Medical Coalition and Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.