Drive-through testing to end
By Terry Murry on Thursday, March 18th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The COVID-19 drive-through testing facility at Providence Urgent Care is closing at the end of this month. Testing will shift into the clinic, where testing and provider visits will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those with symptoms. People who are without symptoms by need a test for clearance to travel, exposure to someone who is positive, or before having a procedure can be tested from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
People with symptoms may just walk in or use the “Reserve My Spot” option on the clinic’s website to schedule a time. Those without symptoms must make an appointment by using Reserve My Spot at https://www.providence.org/our-services/urgent-care/urgent-care-walla-walla?y_source=1_OTU3NzAzNy00ODMtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ==#llaid=6421.
The Reserve My Spot feature is also an option for any other type of care needed at the clinic to avoid traditional waiting. Once a person reserves an approximate time slot, he or she receives a text when they are next in line.
The drive-through testing site opened on March 23, 2020. The volume of tests continued to climb over the summer and into the winter. In November alone, more than 4,000 people were tested at the drive-through. Providence St. Mary said with vaccinations continuing and community members taking precautions, the number of people needing COVID-19 testing has dropped, allowing the testing operation to be moved inside.
