UNCW and New Hanover County Public Health are partnering with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to bring a drive-through COVID-19 testing site to the community, run and operated by OptumServe. Symptoms or possible exposure are not necessary to receive a test, and below are the details:

Make an Appointment: Testing at the site is free and open to anyone in the community, but residents must register for an appointment through OptumServe. To schedule an appointment, visit lhi.care/covidtesting. Or call 877-562-4850 if you do not have internet access or are registering for a minor.

Site Location: Testing will be offered at the parking lot at the corner of Hurst Drive and Hamilton Drive, across from the Greene Track and Field Complex. (Interactive campus map link is here.) Drivers are encouraged to enter campus from Hurst Drive.

Days/Hours of Operation: Testing will begin at the site on Wednesday, March 24 and continue through Friday, April 30. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

For questions about this testing site, please call OptumServe at 877-562-4850.

You should be tested for COVID-19 if you:

• are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19;
• have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19; or
• meet other criteria like working in a high-risk setting, have participated in gatherings or are a member of a historically marginalized community.

COVID-19 testing is available throughout New Hanover County through local healthcare providers, pharmacies, and other organizations. Call the New Hanover County Coronavirus Call Center at 910-798-6800, or visit covid.NCDHHS.gov to enter your address and find the closest testing site near you.

COVID-19 symptoms may include:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

If you test positive for COVID-19, when Public Health calls with your results they will also make sure you have the resources and support needed while staying at home. Staying at home and avoiding contact with other members of the household can help minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 and protect your loved ones and neighbors.

The Public Health team will also perform contact tracing. Contact tracing is a way to reach out to people who have been near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. They will ask you about anyone else you have recently been near or in close contact with. This will allow Public Health to reach people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and share any information and support they may need to stay at home until the risk of giving the virus to others has passed.

The team will not share anyone’s name or personal information. This information is confidential and will remain private. Each of these steps slows the spread of COVID-19.

If you need a COVID-19 test, but do not have transportation to a testing location, Public Health will try and work with you to secure a COVID-19 test either through a provider or through Public Health. Call the call center for assistance: 910-798-6800.