WCBC

May 5th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the state will continue to expand its COVID-19 testing program by opening a new drive-thru site on Tuesday, May 5 at the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP) station in Hagerstown. The Hagerstown site will be the first state-run, drive-thru testing site in Western Maryland.

Last Wednesday, Governor Hogan announced an expanded testing strategy focused on high-priority outbreaks and clusters, including nursing homes, health care workers, and first responders, as well as community-based testing—including the expansion of drive-thru sites, and testing sites in Wicomico County and Caroline County to address poultry plant outbreaks.

“With the tests we recently acquired from South Korea, Maryland continues to implement an expanded testing strategy,” said Governor Hogan. “Drive-thru testing at Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program stations provides an easily accessible option for many citizens, and we now have the resources to continue to expand these sites throughout the state.”

With the addition of Hagerstown, there will be a total of eight VEIP testing sites operated by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). The full list of drive-thru testing sites will include converted VEIP stations in Bel Air (Harford County), Columbia (Howard County), Glen Burnie (Anne Arundel County), Hagerstown (Washington County) Owings Mill (Baltimore County), Prince Frederick (Calvert County), Waldorf (Charles County), and White Oak (Montgomery County).

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

In order to schedule a COVID-19 testing appointment at a VEIP site, individuals should first call a physician. Physicians will assist patients in ordering and scheduling a test using CRISP, the state’s health information exchange. Patients cannot order or schedule tests for themselves.

MDH operates VEIP testing sites in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland National Guard, Maryland State Police, local health departments, and private partners. There are also several additional, non-MDH testing sites throughout the state being operated by local governments and private organizations. In order to schedule a testing appointment at a non-MDH testing site, contact the site directly.

For information and resources regarding COVID-19, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov. Click on the “Testing” tab for further instruction on scheduling a test at a VEIP site or one of the other sites being operated throughout the state.