MU Health Care is reopening its COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in the Mizzou softball stadium parking lot next to the Hearnes Center, effective Wednesday, Sept. 2, to meet an increased demand for testing.

Testing volumes at the Mizzou North site, located at 115 Business Loop 70 W., have increased by nearly 100 tests per day in the past two weeks, causing longer lines and wait times. Due to these higher volumes, the Mizzou North site reached capacity a few days, and staff stopped accepting additional cars in order to accommodate everyone already in line before the site closed for the day. The operating hours for the Hearnes Center and Mizzou North locations will be the same: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

"A number of patients are showing up at the drive-thru location without a provider's order," said Jonathan Heidt, MD, MU Health Care emergency physician. "This is the primary reason why the wait times have increased, and it reduces the number of tests we can perform in a day. It's critically important that patients get pre-screened and receive the required provider order prior to going to a drive-thru location."

Patients must have a provider's order to be tested. To obtain an order, patients should take one of the following actions before arriving at a testing site:

• Contact their primary care provider.
• Call the newly established screening phone line at 573-884-0948.
  • There is no charge for a phone assessment.
• Schedule a virtual assessment through Mizzou Quick Care.
  • Each visit will cost up to $59 depending on insurance coverage.
• Complete a virtual assessment through muhealthvideovisits.org.
  • Each visit will cost up to $59 depending on insurance coverage.
  • Visits are staffed by MU Health Care Urgent Care providers around the clock.

Students who have symptoms or who have been advised by a contact tracer to be tested can take the above actions to obtain a provider’s order, or they can call the Student Health Center at 573-882-7481 to be assessed by a Student Health Center provider. Student Health also provides a walk-up testing site on campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. on weekends.

Once tested, patients will be notified of their result as soon as it is processed, via a message in the HealthConnect portal. Patients with a positive result also will receive a phone call. To login or create a portal account, patients should visit  muhealth.org/patient-login.

Patients who should be assessed for COVID-19 include individuals who have fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, congestion, nausea, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache, sore throat or loss of taste or smell.

People who have been directly exposed to someone with COVID-19 should quarantine and be tested if directed by a contact tracer or if they start showing symptoms. The current recommendation for testing after exposure is to wait seven to nine days if you have no symptoms. Testing too soon after exposure can provide a false negative result.

Patients suffering severe symptoms or breathing problems should go to the emergency department or call 911.

For more details about these additional services and information regarding COVID-19, visit muhealth.org/coronavirus.