BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont health clinic is now offering testing for the coronavirus if patients meet the requirements for testing.
Testing is available weekdays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. outside the Legacy Community Health Clinic at 450 North 11th Street in Beaumont according to clinic representative Jessica Michan.
Before being tested patients will be screened and asked a series of questions about symptoms, exposure and travel history, Michan told 12News.
If the patient meets the criteria to be tested after the screening, they will be sent to a temporary outdoor facility for testing.
Patients will be tested for the flu and swabbed for a COVID19 test, according to Michan.
Test results for the flu test should be available in 24 hours while the COVID19 results can take up to four or five days.
No one who shows up will be allowed to enter outdoor testing facility without being screened, she said.
Those who do not meet the criteria for a coronavirus test will advised to make a separate appointment with their doctor.
Fees at the clinic are on a sliding scale based on income and insurance can be billed, she said.
Those without insurance are welcome and no one will be turned away, according to Michan.
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Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
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Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.