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Detroit’s
regional
COVID
testing
facility
leaves
State
Fairgrounds
for new
location
•
Testing
site
moves
indoors
to
Joseph
Walker
Williams
Community
Center
•
Outdoor
site at
Fairgrounds
became a
national
model of
efficiency,
conducting
more
than
55,000
tests
over six
months
•
Scheduling
number,
313-230-0505
will
remain
the same
•
Access
to
testing
has
helped
keep
Detroit’s
positivity
rate
lower
than
surrounding
communities
DETROIT
–
Beginning
Tuesday,
COVID-19
testing
previously
held at
the
State
Fairgrounds,
will
relocate
to
Joseph
Walker
Williams
Community
Center
located
at 8431
Rosa
Parks
Blvd.
All
tests
will be
conducted
indoors.
Officials
knew a
relocation
to an
indoor
facility
would be
necessary
in
anticipation
of
cooler
temperatures
and
began
planning
months
ago for
a new
site.
Free
COVID-19
testing
will
still be
available
to any
resident
of the
tri-county
region
(Wayne,
Oakland,
and
Macomb
County).
Residents
wishing
to
receive
a free
COVID-19
test can
still
call
313-230-0505
to
schedule
an
appointment
at the
new
site.
Successful
Fairgrounds
Testing
Site
Will
Continue
Work at
Rec
Center
Opening
in
March,
the
Fairgrounds
testing
site was
one of
the
state’s
first
drive-up
testing
sites
and the
result
of a
cross-county,
city and
health
system
partnership.
At its
peak
more
than
1,200
people
per day
from
across
the
region
were
tested,
more
than
doubling
city
officials
daily
testing
goal.
During
its run,
which
ended
September
24, the
testing
site
provided
more
than
55,000
tests to
residents
of the
region.
At the
time of
its
opening
a
prescription
was
required,
then it
was
opened
to
essential
workers,
senior
citizens
and
eventually
all
Detroiters
and
southeast
Michigan
residents
wishing
to be
tested.
“The
team
that has
been
running
the
testing
site at
the
Fairgrounds
did an
extraordinary
job
making
it
smooth
and
efficient
for
Detroiters
and our
suburban
neighbors
to have
convenient
access
to
testing,”
said
Mayor
Mike
Duggan.
“I am
confident
that the
new site
will run
just as
well and
that
we’ll
continue
to
contain
the
spread
of the
virus
through
the
knowledge
of who
has it
and who
doesn’t.”
With
new
development
planned
to begin
around
October
at the
Fairgrounds,
officials
wanted
to
ensure a
seamless
transition
to the
new site
before
the cold
season
set in.
After
considering
a number
of
locations
across
the
city,
Joseph
Walker
Williams
Community
Center
was
selected
as the
best
location
because
it is
centrally
located
and has
the
necessary
space
needed.
“The
Community
Center
can
accommodate
the same
volume
of test
per day
as the
previous
site,
but
current
testing
demand
is
between
200-300
test per
day,”
said
Hakim
Berry
Chief
Operating
Officer
for the
City of
Detroit.
“Residents
can
expect
the same
safe and
swift
testing
experience
with
slightly
modifed
procedures
to
accommodate
foot
traffic
entering
and
exiting
the
building.”
Like
other
city
recreation
centers,
Joseph
Walker
has been
closed
due to
COVID-19
and
likely
will
remain
closed
for
recreational
purposes
for some
time.
Adapting
the site
for this
use puts
the
closed
community
center
to a
productive
and
important
community
use,
while
making
investments
that
will
make for
an
improved
facility
when it
can be
safely
reopened
for
recreational
purposes.
Testing
will be
open
Monday-Friday,
9 a.m. –
5 p.m.
Call
center
hours
are
Monday-Friday,
9 a.m. –
6 p.m.
Detroit
residents
will
still be
able to
take
advantage
of $2
round-trip
rides
through
IntelliRide.
Riders
can only
be
picked
up and
dropped
off at a
Detroit
address.
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