HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department and its agency partners are announcing new sites offering free COVID-19 tests during first week of June.
Texas Division of Emergency Management
The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the department will open five drive-thru test sites:
- Robinson Elementary, 12425 Woodforest Blvd., June 1 – 3
- Herrera Elementary, 525 Bennington Street, June 4 – 6
- Kashmere Gardens Elementary, 4901 Lockwood Dr., June 1 – 6
- HCC-Northeast Campus, 555 Community College Dr., June 3 – 6
TDEM sites require appointments, available by calling 512-883-2400 or visiting txcovidtest.org. The sites will open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
United Memorial Medical Center
United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) will open a new drive-thru and walk-up test site at the Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star. UMMC will continue to offer drive-thru testing at its site at Houston Community College-Southeast, 6815 Rustic.
Each site will open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until reaching its daily capacity of 250 tests. The sites don’t require appointments.
Other UMMC sites opening weekdays are:
- UMMC Tidwell, 510 W Tidwell Rd., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Forest Brook Middle School, 7525 Tidwell Rd, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cullen Middle School, 6900 Scott St., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Griggs School, 801 Regional Park Dr., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
People needing information about UMMC test sites can call 1-866-333-COVID or visit ummcscreening.com.
Houston Health Department Mobile Unit & Community-Based Sites
The department will set up its mobile unit at the Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol, June 2 – 6.
Mobile unit testing is set for weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until reaching daily capacity of 100 tests. People don’t need an appointment to get a free COVID-19 test through the mobile unit, which offers drive-thru or walk-up options.
The department also operates two free drive-thru COVID-19 community-based testing sites open to anyone, regardless of symptoms. Each site has capacity for 500 tests per day.
New days of operation for the sites are Monday through Saturday. The sites will close on Sundays beginning May 31.
People can call the department’s COVID-19 Call Center at 832-393-4220 between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to receive an access code and directions to the nearest community-based site or get more information about the department’s mobile unit.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
The health department is providing test kits, lab access and equipment to four local Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) so they can expand their COVID-19 testing capacity. The centers and phone numbers people can call to set up testing appointments are:
- Spring Branch Community Health Center, 713-462-6565
- El Centro de Corazon, 713-660-1880
- Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, 713-426-0027
- Lone Star Circle of Care at the University of Houston, 346-348-1200 and
- Community Health Network, 281-816-3317.
FQHC patients pay what they can afford, based on income and family size, and are not denied services due to inability to pay or lack of insurance.
The department and its agency partners may shift locations and schedules of test sites to better meet community needs. Houstonians can visit HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 for current Houston test sites and information about stopping the spread of the virus.
Information obtained through testing, treatment or services will not be used against immigrants in their public charge evaluation.