Tri-County Health officials test patients for COVID-19, March 11, 2020, at the Laboratory Services Division for the CDPHE. The license plate is smudged to protect the patient's identity. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Tri-County Health officials test patients for COVID-19, March 11, 2020, at the Laboratory Services Division for the CDPHE. The license plate is smudged to protect the patients identity. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Tri-County Health officials test patients for COVID-19, March 11, 2020, at the Laboratory Services Division for the CDPHE. The license plate is smudged to protect the patient’s identity. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Tri-County Health officials prepare their stations before testing for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Tri-County Health officials prepare their stations before testing for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Tri-County Health officials put on their protective gear before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Tri-County Health officials put on their protective gear before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Tri-County Health official checks her supplies before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Tri-County Health official checks her supplies before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Tri-County Health officials put on protective gear before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Tri-County Health officials put on protective gear before interacting with those in line to get tested for COVID-19, March 11, 2020 at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
  • Cars lined up before 10:00 a.m. at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division to get tested for COVID-19, the morning of March 11, 2020. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado
    Cars lined up before 10:00 a.m. at the CDPHE Laboratory Services Division to get tested for COVID-19, the morning of March 11, 2020. Photo by Philip B. Poston/Sentinel Colorado

 

AURORA | A drive-thru COVID-19 virus testing system went live on the Lowry Campus Wednesday morning to a long line of potential victims waiting in cars for tests.

“We don’t want red tape to get in the way of people getting tests or the treatment that they need,” Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday during an announcement that he would invoke a state of emergency to help Colorado react to an imminent COVID-19 virus spread. “That’s why I’m proud to announce that the department of public health and environment will be opening up a drive-up lab at our facility in Lowry to test anyone who has a note from their doctor stating that they need testing.”

Polis stressed the requirement of a doctor’s order to utilize the drive-thru lab, which will only be available at the Lowry facility. 

At approximately 10 a.m. on the testing site’s inaugural day, cars had already lined up at CDPHE to get tested with a mouth swab for COVID-19.

Two stations were set up: one where health officials were taking personal information, followed by a station where the patients were given mouth swabs to test for the infection.