Drive-through COVID-19 testing to be offered Sunday at Fitch High School
Groton — Drive-through COVID-19 testing will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Robert E. Fitch High School, according to a joint announcement Tuesday by the town, city and PhysicianOne Urgent Care.
PhysicianOne providers will administer up to 200 tests, Groton Town Manager John Burt said.
To be tested, people need to have a virtual medical evaluation with a PhysicianOne Urgent Care provider in advance, the release said. People with "fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, and general malaise are encouraged to schedule a medical evaluation Virtual Visit with a provider," the release states.
People should visit www.P1UC.com and click on the prompts for the drive-through testing pre-screening, according to the release. They do not need to be PhysicianOne patients.
“I’m thankful to PhysicianOne for providing this needed resource to help residents of the Town of Groton, as well as to residents of our neighboring communities, who may not otherwise have access to testing,” Burt said in a statement. “Access to adequate testing is essential to stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”
Burt said by email that PhysicianOne — which has an urgent care center at 220 Route 12 in Groton — had reached out to City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick and himself about hosting the event, and the town police department has been helping with coordinating it. Burt said the town has hosted drive-through flu shots at the high school and already has a traffic plan for the site.
In a statement, Hedrick called testing for the coronavirus “integral in the fight to identify and contain this epidemic” and thanked PhysicianOne “for providing an additional resource to help prevent the spread" of COVID-19.
Dr. Jeannie Kenkare, PhysicianOne co-founder and chief medical officer, said in a statement that PhysicianOne recognizes the need for increased access to testing and is proud to partner with Groton to offer the service.
"We are finding that many people are not seeking advice for symptoms and feeling isolated and unsure," Kenkare added. "Now that testing is available, people can safely be medically evaluated through a virtual visit to determine whether they need to come in for testing.”
Kris Magnussen, communicable disease prevention supervisor at Ledge Light Health District, said by email that: "The more testing that can be offered allows us to know who is positive so we can do contact tracing to help decrease the disease being spread unknowingly."
She said that people should treat everyone they come into contact with as a potential positive COVID-19 case and remember that there are people without symptoms who carry the virus as well as people who are in the beginning stages of being sick.
Magnussen said, "it is important to always practice social distancing, wear a mask and keep our hands away from our face when out in public."
PhysicianOne also offers testing every day at its offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, the release states.
More information
What: Drive-through COVID-19 testing
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Where: Robert E. Fitch High School, 101 Groton Long Point Road, Groton
For more information and to schedule the prescreening required before Sunday's testing, visit www.P1UC.com. People who have additional questions or need help scheduling the prescreening can call (855) 349-2828.
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