RI Leaders Clarify Pop-Up Coronavirus Test Sites After Confusion

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's holiday pop-up coronavirus tests sites stirred up a lot of negative attention over the weekend after a photo circulated of a long line of people waiting to get tested at the Warwick Mall.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, explained Tuesday that the temporary sites are intended to "meet people where they are," giving people a chance to get tested at the mall, grocery store, gym or other congregate settings. There has been "lots of demand" at the sites in recent days, she said.

These sites should not be considered interchangeable with existing testing sites, she explained. No one should be going to the mall or other pop-up locations for the express purpose of getting tested. Instead, anyone looking to get tested for any reason should make an appointment on portal.ri.gov, where there is expanded availability for same-day testing at sites across the state. The Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, for example, was set up to accommodate up to 5,000 asymptomatic tests per day, and is offering rapid tests with results on-site in 15 minutes.

Signing up for an appointment, rather than seeking out a pop-up site, helps the system move efficiently, Alexander-Scott explained.

"This is a way to avoid long lines for waiting [for a test]," Alexander-Scott said.

Read more: Pop-Up Coronavirus Testing Coming To RI For Holiday Season