FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 4, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has partnered with Care South Carolina (CareSouth) to host a COVID-19 mobile testing clinic in Darlington County. Screening and specimen collection is free through the mobile clinic, which is part of DHEC’s efforts to increase testing in underserved rural communities across the state.

The event will be held at the St. David's Academy, 116 St. David’s Street, Society Hill, SC 29593 on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“The best way to understand the impact that this virus is having on our community, is to test for it,” said James Bruckner, DHEC’s Pee Dee regional public health director. “This is particularly important in our rural communities, where residents typically have limited access to testing and medical care. By working with local partners like CareSouth, we’re taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to ensure that our rural residents have critical access to testing so that they can continue to take the steps they need to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

“We’ve made the mobile testing clinic easy to use for residents,” Bruckner said. “There’s no registration process, forms to complete, or fees to pay in order to get tested. If you’re under 18 years of age, please bring your parent or legal guardian with you. They’ll need to give their consent before you can be tested.”

The mobile clinic will offer drive-thru testing. Prescreening is not required, and the cost is free to patients. Patients will be contacted within 48-72 hours with the results of their test. 

"We can best protect each other if we fully understand the extent of this virus with our communities," said Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington. "That's why I encourage everyone to take advantage of this free testing, especially those who are elderly and have underlying health conditions, as they're at higher risk for developing severe illness from this disease."

"We're pleased to be able to bring this important testing to our communities, especially at no cost to our residents," said House Speaker Jay Lucas. "The partnerships that help bring about opportunities like this have never been more important as we all work to beat this illness together."

Other partners include Darlington County Administration, Emergency Services, and Sheriff’s Department, as well as Mayor of Society Hill Tommy Bradshaw; the South Carolina Department of Transportation; the South Carolina National Guard; the South Carolina State Highway Patrol; Regional Hospital Coalition; and Bethesda Baptist Church.

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