MD Coronavirus Testing Available At VEIP Sites By Appointment

BALTIMORE, MD — Drive-through coronavirus testing sites are opening this week in Howard and Montgomery counties, adding to other sites opened to expand efforts to slow the spread of the disease. The Maryland Department of Health and private partners will continue to offer drive-through testing by appointment at vehicle emissions inspection program sites this week.

There will be a total of five VEIP testing sites open this week, including new sites at the Columbia VEIP in Howard County and White Oak VEIP in Montgomery County. Additionally, sites at the Bel Air VEIP in Harford County, Glen Burnie VEIP in Anne Arundel County, and Waldorf VEIP in Charles County are open.

Tests will be offered on an appointment-only basis to residents who are symptomatic and at high risk for complications from COVID-19, a news release said. Patients must have a health-care provider order and an appointment in order to take a test at a VEIP site.

“As the number of cases rise in Maryland, we are opening these sites to keep pace with the demand for testing. These sites are for residents who are symptomatic and in high-risk categories for developing serious illness,” said Gov. Larry Hogan in a news release. “Like every other state in the nation, we simply do not have enough testing supplies. We need to use our resources wisely.”

To qualify for testing at a VEIP site, people must:

• Meet testing criteria as determined by a licensed healthcare provider.
• Obtain an order for testing from a healthcare provider.
• Register online and make an appointment at a test site.

In the weeks ahead, COVID-19 test sites and hours will continue to be determined based on demand and the availability of supplies. Once individuals have a confirmed order from a healthcare provider, they will receive a unique code that they can use to make an appointment at the closest available testing site.

With the exception of the site in Bel Air, each of the VEIP testing sites will use an online appointment process operated by CRISP, Maryland’s health information system. The Bel Air site, which is staffed by professionals from University of Maryland Medical System Upper Chesapeake Health, will continue to use a scheduling process that requires physicians’ offices to schedule appointments via a scheduling hotline. The Bel Air site will have administrative personnel from UM UCH on site to ensure the appropriate process is followed.

At the test sites, people must remain in their vehicles with the windows rolled up until it is time to receive their test. Testing requires a clinician to insert a single long Q-tip into the back of the person’s nostril for several seconds. Most individuals experience minor discomfort at most.

All tested individuals will receive information with further instructions at the test site and should continue to self-isolate at home while waiting for results, which should be available within about seven days. If symptoms worsen, patients should call a health-care provider immediately. If a test comes back positive, patients must self-isolate for at least seven days from when their symptoms started or three days from the last fever, whichever is longer.

The Prince George’s County Health Department is running a similar but separate testing operation at FedEx Field. All patients using the FedEx Field testing site, including those with prescriptions from a doctor, must make an appointment through the Prince George’s Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline: 301-883-6627.

For information about the coronavirus, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov. For more information about University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, visit umuch.org/VEIPtesting.

Related:

• Triage Tent Signals Upper Chesapeake Ready For Coronavirus Surge
• Hogan Imposes Stricter Coronavirus Protocols On MD Nursing Homes
• Hogan: 'Please Stay Home, Safe' As MD Coronavirus Cases Top 3.6K