Houston Health Department, partners announce free COVID-19 testing schedule for week of April 26

HOUSTON  The Houston Health Department and its agency partners are announcing the schedule for sites offering free COVID-19 tests the week of April 26, 2021. Twenty FREE+FAST+SAFE testing sites across Houston are on the schedule for the week.

Houston Health Department
The Houston Health Department will offer drive-thru testing at two surge sites affiliated with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star Drive, and Houston Community College – North Forest, 6010 Little York Rd., will offer nasal self-swab tests.

Both sites will open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Appointments are available at doineedacovid19test.com and on-site registration is also available. Each site has a daily capacity of 1,250 tests.

The department also offers free drive-thru testing via self-nasal swab at the Aramco Services Company, 9009 W. Loop South. The mega testing site will open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The site has a daily capacity of 250 tests. People wanting to get tested at the Aramco site can call the department’s COVID-19 Call Center at 832-393-4220.

The department will offer testing at three community sites that don’t require appointments. Each has a daily capacity of 250 tests:

  • Tuffy Community Center, 3200 Westfield, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., walk-up, self-nose swab,
  • Johnson Neighborhood Library, 3517 Reed Rd., Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., drive-thru and walk-up, self-nose swab, and
  • Charlton Community Center, 8200 Park Place Blvd., Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., walk-up, self-nose swab.

The department will also provide drive thru, self-nasal swab testing at the METRO Addicks Park & Ride, 14230 Katy Freeway. Appointments are available by calling the department’s call center at 832-393-4220.

Texas Division of Emergency Management
Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and the Houston Astros offer self-oral swab tests daily at Minute Maid Park (Lot C), 2208 Preston. The testing site’s capacity is 1,200 tests per day.

The site features eight drive-thru testing lanes and four walk-up testing lanes. It will open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday and 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.

Visit curative.com to set an appointment or obtain more information. On-site registration is also available.

TDEM and the department will also operate drive-thru sites offering tests Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at:

  • HCC – Northeast Campus, 555 Community College Drive, self-mouth swab, and
  • HCC – South Campus, 1990 Airport Blvd., nasal swab by healthcare professionals.

TDEM and the department offer drive thru, nasal-swab tests administered by healthcare professionals at LeRoy Crump Stadium, 12321 Alief Clodine Rd. The site is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Appointments for TDEM sites are available at covidtest.tdem.texas.gov. On-site registration is also available.

United Memorial Medical Center
United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) will offer nasal-swab testing by healthcare professionals at drive-thru test sites at:

  • PlazAmericas Mall, 7500 Bellaire Blvd.
  • Houston Community College – Southeast, 6815 Rustic St.; Building B
  • UMMC Tidwell, 510 W. Tidwell Rd.

The sites don’t require appointments and will offer testing Monday through Friday (PlazAmericas is also open Saturday) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until reaching daily capacity of 300 tests.

People needing information about UMMC test sites can call 1-866-333-COVID or visit ummcscreening.com.

Curative
Curative will provide walk up testing daily at:

  • University of St. Thomas, 3800 Montrose Blvd., shallow nose self-swab, 8 a.m. -5 p.m.
  • Memorial Park Conservancy, 1153 E. Memorial Loop Dr., mouth self-swab, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.,
  • Miller Outdoor Theater, 6000 Hermann Park Dr., mouth self-swab, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.,
  • Houston Metro West, 11555 Westpark Dr., mouth self-swab, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.,
  • Houston Metro Kashmere, 5700 Eastex Fwy., mouth self-swab, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., and
  • Houston Metro Fallbrook, 111 Fallbrook Dr., mouth self-swab, 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

Appointments are available at curative.com and on-site registration is available. The sites have a 900 daily test capacity.

Federally Qualified Health Centers
The health department is providing test kits, lab access and equipment to 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:

  • HOPE Clinic, 713-773-0803
  • 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
  • Scarsdale Family Health Center, 281-824-1480.

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 testing 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.

Flyer: Houston COVID-19 testing sites for the week of April 26, 2021.