HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department and its agency partners are announcing the schedule for sites offering free COVID-19 tests the week of October 26, 2020. The week will offer 16 free testing sites across Houston, including three 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 (self nasal swab) 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 (self nasal swab) at the Aramco Services Company, 9009 W. Loop South. The mega testing 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 1,000 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.
The department will also offer drive thru testing (self nasal swab) at four other sites. 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. The sites and their days of operations are:
- Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center, 4014 Market St., Oct. 27-29,
- Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol, Oct. 27-31,
- Higher Dimension Church, 9800 Club Creek Dr., Oct. 28-30, and
- Melrose Community Center, 1001 Canino Rd., Oct. 27-31, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.
The department will provide (self nasal swab) 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 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 (self oral swab) daily at Minute Maid Park (Lot C), 2208 Preston. The testing site’s capacity is 1,200 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 (self oral swab) 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 (nasal swab by healthcare professional) 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 (nasal swab by healthcare professional) at drive-thru test sites at:
- Plaza Americas Mall, 7500 Bellaire Blvd.,
- Houston Community College – Southeast, 6815 Rustic,
- UMMC Tidwell, 510 W. Tidwell Rd., and
- Houston Community College – North Forest, 6010 Little York.
The sites don’t require appointments and offer testing 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.
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.