WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread across the DMV. More and more testing sites are being set up to properly evaluate prospective patients.
Here's a look at where you can get tested along with the precautions health care providers are asking for patients to do prior to their COVID-19 test:
NOTE: Some of these centers have not yet been fully set up. Please talk to your doctor before arriving unscheduled.
DC:
George Washington University
George Washington University announced that the hospital has set up a tent at its Foggy Bottom campus for those in the District to be tested.
The tent, according to officials, will be used for COVID-19-suspected patients that medical officials anticipate discharging. Critical cases of the virus will be admitted into the hospital, officials said.
United Medical Center
United Medical Center, the District’s public hospital in Southeast D.C., has added a separate emergency department waiting room and isolated spaces for patients who report to the hospital with flu-like symptoms.
Children's National Hospital
Children's National Hospital in D.C. will now offer drive-thru and walk-up location coronavirus testing for children and young adults up to 22 years old, according to a news release sent by the hospital.
In order for young patients to be seen at the location, they must be referred by their pediatrician or another primary care doctor as a patient with symptoms or at a high risk of contracting COVID-19. The parent or guardian must show a paper copy or electronic copy of the physician referral form completed by their primary care provider.
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente has a walk-up/drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Washington near their Capitol Hill Medical Center at 700 2nd Street, Northeast. They also have five additional drive-up clinics in the mid-Atlantic region.
Referral needed?
Yes. Kaiser Permanente testing sites are for their members. Tests also require a doctor’s order and an appointment.
Medstar Health
The service is a virtual/video visit with a medical provider offering consultation, diagnosis, treatment and even prescriptions when appropriate. MedStar e-Visit is available 24/7 and is open to anyone in the MedStar service area which includes Washington. This service can be accessed via the MedStar e-Visit app on a smartphone or tablet, or on a PC by going directly to MedStarhealth.org/eVisit. You do NOT need to be a MedStar Health patient to access an e-Visit provider. In other words, this platform is open to residents of the District. Based on the outcomes of the e-Visit, patients may be referred for coronavirus testing from an e-Visit provider to one of MedStar Health’s testing sites with a physician’s order.
MedStar Health also has two urgent care facilities in D.C.: one on Capitol Hill and one in Adams Morgan. Both facilities are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. — 8 p.m. and offer testing for coronavirus if indicated with a doctor’s order. MedStar also has 12 additional urgent care centers in the Washington and Baltimore areas.
NOTE: The blue dots in the map below, which are emissions testing centers, are not currently operational, but there plans to convert them to coronavirus drive-thru testing centers.
Maryland:
Drive-Thru Testing Sites
Gov. Larry Hogan announced on March 17 plans to re-purpose vehicle emissions sites as coronavirus testing sites. These are not in full operation yet. In our area, here's a list of drive-thru testing sites:
Montgomery County
- Gaithersburg: 15 Metropolitan Grove Road
- Walnut Hill: 16520 S. Westland Drive
- Derwood: 15910 Chieftain Avenue
- Silver Spring: 2121 Industrial Parkway
- Glenmont: 12335 Georgia Avenue
- White Oak: 2131 Industrial Parkway
Prince George's County
- Beltsville: 11760 Baltimore Avenue
- Upper Marlboro: 10251 Central Avenue
- Hyattsville: 7401 Jefferson Avenue
- Clinton: 7213 Old Alexandria Ferry Road
St. Mary's County
- Leonardtown: 27351 Point Lookout Road
Frederick County
- Frederick: 1601 Bowman's Farm Road
Charles County
- Waldorf: 11 Industrial Park Drive
- Waldorf: 28 Henry Ford Circle
NOTE: The test sites, which will be open starting April 1, will be located at Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP) sites in Glen Burnie in Anne Arundel County, Waldorf in Charles County and Bel Air in Harford County.
Kaiser Permanente
In Maryland, Montgomery County hospitals are installing treatment and triage tents.
Kaiser Permanente, the area's largest health care nonprofit, is setting up five drive-through testing sites in Maryland (along with Virginia) for patients who have a prescription. Officials are also testing people via drive-through if they meet certain criteria.
The testing will be for Kaiser Permanente members only and they must have a doctor’s order to get the test, officials say.
Johns Hopkins Medical Center
Testing is offered at several Johns Hopkins locations for patients who do not need emergency care and who have been referred by their Johns Hopkins doctor specifically for special testing.
Officials with Johns Hopkins say they are offering the testing in safe locations, away from patient care areas and outdoors in easily accessible areas that offer protection for other patients, visitors, and staff members.
Testing must be ordered through the Johns Hopkins electronic medical record by a health care provider.
University of Maryland Medical Center
Several UMMS hospitals have set up triage tents as a measure of increasing preparedness for the potential of a surge in patient volume.
The plan for treating patients if there is a surge includes expanding Emergency Department capacity using the tents, officials said. For more information on what we are doing to protect our community and prepare for COVID-19 cases, visit their website.
Virginia:
Virginia Hospital Center
Virginia Hospital Center has partnered with Arlington County's health department, police department, fire department, sheriff's office, and environmental services department to create a temporary drive-through coronavirus testing site at 1429 N. Quincy Street in Arlington.
The temporary site will open on March 18.
"The opening of this temporary facility allows us to meet the urgent needs of our community while our Emergency Department continues to serve those who require immediate medical attention," James B. Cole, President & CEO of Virginia Hospital Center, said.
Currently, tests will only be available to individuals who are exhibiting symptoms of the virus and have received a doctor's order for the test.
- This site is for sample collection from symptomatic patients (fevers, chills, cough, or shortness of breath) who have received a written order for COVID-19 testing from a licensed health care provider. This is not meant for asymptomatic patients, even those who have had close contact with a known COVID patient.
- Samples will be collected from Arlington residents, Arlington County Government employees and Arlington Public Schools employees, and patients of VHC Medical Staff.
- Once they have received a physician’s order, patients should call the VHC COVID-19 Scheduling Line at 703.558.5766 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Patients must schedule an appointment before visiting the collection site.
- Individuals arriving at the drive-through site will be asked to remain in their cars.
- The sample collection center will remain open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Individuals who visit the collection site are encouraged to follow the instructions of their health care provider and self-quarantine while they await their results. Test results will be available to the patient within five to seven business days.
AllCare Family Medical Clinic
AllCare offers telemedicine consults with any AllCare doctor followed by scheduled drive-by testing in select locations. Before getting tested, please do the following to ensure your visit goes smoothly:
- First, book a video visit (Telemedicine) with any doctor to discuss if you need a COVID-19 and other tests too.
- Next, visit a drive-thru testing at select locations, staying in your car the entire time. Doctors will do the swab.
Testing locations have drive-by time-windows once per day: Monday-Friday: 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Saturday-Sunday: Noon-1 p.m.
Prince William County
Prince William County residents can get a free COVID-19 test during the week of May 18.
Those who are seeking to get tested will be able to do so between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas.
This is not an exhaustive list and will be updated as we learn more. For more information on testing sites across the country, visit ESRI's website for more.
Check the status of the virus in your state with your state health department's websites by tapping below: