New COVID-19 testing center opens in Citadel Mall parking lot
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The El Paso County Public Health is setting up a new COVID-19 testing center in a Colorado Springs mall parking lot as part of an effort to expand testing in the city.
The new testing center which opened Tuesday is in the parking lot south of JC Penney at the Citadel Mall, near Academy Boulevard and Platte Ave.
The center will operate Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
No insurance or referral is required, and you can pre-register at www.elpasocountyhealth.org.
"Testing produces data, produces tracing and everything else, that we think are very necessary to fight COVID," Said Mayor John Suthers at a press conference on Tuesday.
The site is mainly for people who are experiencing symptoms, or have reason to believe they've been exposed to COVID-19.
It's not intended for people who need to be tested before heading back to work or traveling. Those people should contact their own doctor for a test, according to El Paso County Public Health officials.
As of Friday morning, there were 5,044 positive cases of the coronavirus in El Paso County out of 60,483 tests. The county reported that 3,917 people have recovered.
Mayor Suthers this site was set because of a spike in cases after the Fourth of July.
When referencing more recent numbers -- El Paso County Public Health Medical Director, Dr. Robin Johnson, said the case count has been more hopeful so far this week.
"We have seen a plateau. Over the last couple of days we are beginning to see a decline," she explained. "I am more optimistic than cautious at this point."
