"My wife's sick, so I might as well get tested," says Marcus Davis, one of many tested at a COVID-19 testing facility this weekend in Mesa.
Dr. Doug Maready's practice aimed to test 500 people in a single day as part of the Arizona Department of Health Service's goal to test 30,000-60,000 people over the next three weekends.
The effort is made possible in part by the National Guard. Dr. Maready says the logistical help allows him to "just do the test like I know how to do."
Visitors are expected to register online before arrival to the testing site. Although there are devices available to register on-site as well.
Dr. Maready says anyone experiencing symptoms or anyone who thinks they've been in contact with a carrier can get tested with or without insurance at no cost.
The test is done with a nasal swab and takes seconds. The entire process takes minutes.
According to Maready, "The swab tells you if you're actively infected. The antibody test is interesting to know but right now it's not the information we need."
After receiving results, Maready says his practice will follow-up with next care steps, again at no cost, for those tested positive. Find your nearest testing site here.
