HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department and its agency partners are announcing the schedule for sites offering free COVID-19 tests the week of October 12, 2020. The week will offer more than a dozen free testing sites across Houston, including four mega sites.
Houston Health Department
The Houston Health Department, in partnership with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the State of Texas, will offer testing at its Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star Drive. The site has a 1,250 daily test capacity and will open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Appointments are available at doineedacovid19test.com. On-site registration is also available.
The department also offers free drive-thru testing at two other mega sites in Houston:
- Aramco Services Company, 9009 W. Loop South, and
- Butler Stadium, 13755 S. Main St.
The Aramco site will open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It remains open until reaching daily capacity of 650 tests.
People wanting to get tested at the Aramco site 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. Butler Stadium doesn’t require an access code, commonly referred to as an appointment.
The department will also offer drive thru testing at three other multi-service centers October 13-17. The sites don’t require appointments and open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until reaching its daily capacity of 250 tests:
- Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol St.,
- Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center, 4014 Market St., and
- Third Ward Multi-Service Center, 3611 Ennis St.
The department will provide testing at the METRO Addicks Park & Ride, 14230 Katy Freeway, and the Multicultural Center, 951 Tristar Drive, city of Webster. Appointments are available by calling the department’s call center at 832-393-4220.
The department’s Area Agency on Aging now offers free in-home COVID-19 testing to people who live in Harris County. Call 800-213-8471 for information. Supplies are limited and the service is available only in October.
Texas Division of Emergency Management
Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and the Houston Astros offer free COVID-19 tests daily at Minute Maid Park (Lot C), 2208 Preston. The testing site’s capacity is 2,000 tests per day.
The site features evening hours twice a week, eight drive-thru testing lanes and four walk-up testing lanes. It opens 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday and from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Spanish-speaking staff is available on-site.
Visit texas.curativeinc.com to set an appointment or obtain more information. On-site registration is also available.
TDEM and the department will also operate drive-thru testing sites Monday through Saturday at:
- HCC – Northeast Campus, 555 Community College Drive, and
- HCC – South Campus, 1990 Airport Blvd.
Appointments are required, available at texas.curativeinc.com.
TDEM and the department offer weekday testing at LeRoy Crump Stadium, 12321 Alief Clodine Rd. Appointments are required, available by visiting covidtest.tdem.texas.gov.
United Memorial Medical Center
United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) will offer weekday testing at drive-thru test sites at:
- Plaza Americas Mall, 7500 Bellaire Blvd.,
- Houston Community College-Southeast, 6815 Rustic,
- UMMC Tidwell, 510 W. Tidwell Rd.,
- Forest Brook Middle School, 7525 Tidwell Rd., and
- Cullen Middle School, 6900 Scott St.
UMMC will offer drive thru and walk-up testing at Our Lady of the Sea Catholic Church, 1401 Fidelity St., Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The sites don’t require appointments and offer testing from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until reaching daily capacity of 250 tests.
People needing information about UMMC test sites can call 1-866-333-COVID or visit ummcscreening.com.
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.