How will new drive-thru coronavirus testing work? It’s expected to roll out across US

The U.S. government plans to roll out drive-thru coronavirus testing across the country.

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said at a Friday press conference that a diagnostic platform will allow users to list their symptoms online, Business Insider reported. The site will give people the closest “drive-thru” test options, which will give results in 24 to 36 hours, the outlet reported.

LabCorps and Quest created the testing model, and President Donald Trump said during the conference that Walmart, Target, CVS and other companies will allow their parking areas to be used for drive-thru sites, the outlet reported.

Cities in New York, Colorado, Washington, California, Utah, Minnesota, Delaware and Indiana are in the process of implementing drive-thru testing or have already done so, NBC News reported.

New York’s drive-thru test site in New Rochelle opened on Friday and can test up to 200 people a day and will eventually test 500, according to NBC News. Tests are by appointment, the outlet reported.

Clinics and hospitals have also begun offering drive-thru testing in order to keep the infection from spreading in waiting rooms, according to Bloomberg.

States are working on getting more coronavirus tests after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out defective test kits, CNBC reported.

According to Johns Hopkins University, there are over 140,000 cases worldwide and more than 5,000 people have died from the virus.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 4:36 PM with the headline "How will new drive-thru coronavirus testing work? It’s expected to roll out across US."