UTRGV removed its COVID-19 drive-thru sites across the Rio Grande Valley and is now conducting tests at the employee and student health clinics, a university official says.
Doug Arney, vice president for Administrative Support Services and chair of the Infectious Disease Committee at UTRGV, said since the demand for testing has gone down, it was decided to start pursuing it internally.
“We can handle this on a day-to-day basis,” Arney said. “So, we just essentially transferred the work that was being done on the drive-up testing sites to the employee and student health sites.”
Students can schedule a COVID-19 test if needed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 613 N. Sugar Road in Edinburg or Cortez Hall 237 in Brownsville.
Employees can schedule a test during the same times and days at 1214 W. Schunior St. in Edinburg or 2106 Treasure Hills Blvd. in Harlingen.
“So, what happens is someone who thinks they may have COVID, right, they call a case management team and then they go through the process of the questioning screening process,” Arney said. “And then if we decide that they need to get tested, the case management team will provide guidance to the students, faculty and staff, you know, where to go get tested, and then we will notify that sites that they’re coming.”
He also explained that they are allowing employees to get tested in the Health Services Clinic in Brownsville.
Community members who want to get tested at UTRGV can call 1-833-887-4863 to schedule an appointment.
Arney said if the demand increases again, UTRGV can always switch back to drive-thru testing.
“That’s the good news, right, we know how to do it now … but we don’t think that’s going to be the case, hopefully, as long as we keep getting vaccinated.”
According to Arney, Edinburg conducted 19,643, Harlingen 6,114 and Brownsville 3,372 tests since the COVID-19 testing sites were first set up.
For more information on employee and student resources for COVID-19, visit the UTRGV’s website.
