MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
The Shelby County Health Department and the Memphis and Shelby County Joint COVID-19 task force realize there is a need for more free testing sites. Health department director Alisa Haushalter said Monday said a map of where high numbers of cases are will be used to determine where the other coronavirus testing sites will go.
"We are looking at that heat map to assess where testing is occurring and not occurring in order to determine how widespread community transmission maybe we have to adequate testing from all communities," Haushalter said.
The number of cases in Shelby County has been increasing every day, but mostly in impoverished neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods include Raleigh, Frayser, Whitehaven, and Hickory Hill. Dr. Jeff Warren, city councilman and member of the COVID-19 task force, said they are trying to free testing in these neighborhoods as soon as possible.
"People who can’t afford to pay for testing have had a tougher time getting it," Warren said.
When the task force decided on Tiger Lane as its trial location for drive-thru testing they chose it because of its central location and accessibility for a drive-thru, but it's proven otherwise. Warren explained Raleigh, Frayser, Whitehaven, and Hickory Hill have more cases of the virus because of denser populations.
"I think what this is showing us is that we’re getting some penetration into these communities but not enough," Warren said.
He said testing is what helps pinpoint where the most need for help is, but it doesn't stop the spread.
"If you want to stop the disease in the poor parts of the city right now the only thing we got and the best thing we got in this whole city is to make sure you social distance," Warren said.
Warren said the free testing sites in these neighborhoods will need to be organized as Tiger Lane currently operates, only by appointment. The more organized the testing locations are the safer they will be.