For Immediate Release

May 15, 2020

Media Contact:

Curt Brantingham

(317) 221-2316 │ (317) 525-7450

cbrantingham@hhcorp.org

Marion County Public Health Department, City of Indianapolis Announce

New Community Testing Sites for COVID-19

INDIANAPOLIS – The Marion County Public Health Department and the City of Indianapolis, with the support of the Indianapolis Medical Society and the Aesculapian Medical Society, announce two new COVID-19 community testing sites that will offer drive-through and walk-up testing in areas of the county most impacted by the virus. These sites will replace two existing testing locations.

The Marion County Public Health Department’s first COVID-19 testing site at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, which began on April 2, will end on Friday, May 27, while the last day of testing at the Eastern Star Church main campus on East 30th Street was today, Friday, May 15.

The health department is grateful for its partnership with Eastern Star Church and Senior Pastor Jeffery A. Johnson, Sr. to provide COVID-19 testing at its main campus in the 46218 ZIP code. The health department will continue to work with Eastern Star Church to identify nearby facilities that house individuals who are unable to leave those facilities, and testing will be provided for them. The goal is to offer testing in the identified hot spots for COVID-19 infection, which is why the mobile testing will move to two different hot spots in Marion County after May 15. Special thanks to Eli Lilly and Company for providing free testing kits at this site.

Beginning Wednesday, May 20, drive-through and walk-up testing for COVID-19 will be offered on the east side of Indianapolis at Warren Central High School, 9500 E. 16th Street. Testing will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Testing will be closed on Memorial Day.

Testing will also be offered on the west side at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 4790 W. 16th Street, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. beginning Tuesday, May 26.

“I am extremely appreciative for the way our community has come together to offer much-needed COVID-19 testing,” said Virginia A. Caine, M.D., director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department. “I want to thank the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Eastern Star Church for their tremendous partnership in reaching the community. These new sites at Warren Central High School and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are critical in our continued efforts to offer testing in COVID-19 hot spots around Marion County.”

This free community testing is aimed at addressing health disparities among diverse populations. Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms are strongly encouraged to get tested, as well as those with or without symptoms who are over age 65, immunocompromised, or a front line essential worker.

“The City of Indianapolis is proud to partner with the Marion County Public Health Department to continue providing free COVID-19 testing in areas that have been disproportionately impacted by this virus,” said Paul Babcock, director of the Office of Public Health and Safety, the coordinating agency for the City’s response to COVID-19. “It takes an entire community, working together, to combat the effects of a global pandemic, and we are thankful to the many partners that have stepped forward to do their part, including Roger Penske and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as Warren Central High School.”

The criteria for testing at these sites include those who are:

 Experiencing the following symptoms:

o Fever

o Cough

o Shortness of breath

o Chills

o Muscle pains

o Headache

o Sore throats

o New loss of taste/smell

 With or without symptoms in any of the following groups:

o Seniors over 65 years of age

o Those with weakened immune systems

o Frontline essential workers

Residents with symptoms of COVID-19 or who meet other testing criteria can register by visiting MarionHealth.org/indycovid. For more information, or to get assistance in registering, please call (317) 221-5515 or (317) 221-8967. All testing at these sites is by appointment only.

Eric Tibsar, M.D., President of the Indianapolis Medical Society

“On behalf of myself and the Indianapolis Medical Society, we are in full support of and very much appreciate the hard work that the Marion County Public Health Department has put into combating the COVID-19 epidemic. We feel very confident that the additional testing sites will help with contact tracing and curbing the spread of this deadly infection and are willing to help the Health Department in any way possible.”

For the full press release, click HERE