The surge of the omicron variant in the D.C. region has increased demand for COVID testing, prompting some to seek tests at hospital emergency rooms. Maryland hopes to ease that pressure on emergency rooms with new testing sites, which opened Monday.
In total, 10 sites will open near Maryland hospitals by the end of the week. Four in the counties surrounding D.C. began operations on Monday, and one more will open in the coming days.
The sites below are now open:
- The University of Maryland Laurel Alternate Care Site: Drive-through testing is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- The University of Charles Regional Medical Center: Drive-through testing will be offered at Regency Furniture Stadium seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center: It will also be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- UM Capital Region Medical Center: Testing will be offered at City of Praise Family Ministries on Monday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
An additional site will open at Frederick Health, but there’s still no word on its opening date.
All sites will be open to walk-ups, with no appointment necessary.
Governor Larry Hogan announced the additional sites last week. “We don’t need to go to an emergency room to get a test,” he stressed. “There’s people really sick that are coming to the emergency rooms that our health care heroes need to take care of.”
Hogan said Maryland has “an abundant supply” of PCR tests.
After the first 10 sites are opened this week, Hogan said, the state will look to open 10 additional sites.
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Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.