By Mitch Borden
As Permian Basin communities brace for the coronavirus to continue to spread, Odessa is taking steps to test more residents showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
The city and its hospitals are doing this by setting up remote testing sites and a hotline that residents can call to be screened for the virus.
Odessans worried that they may have COVID-19 can now call 432-640-2747. That hotline will be open to callers between 9 am - 8:30 pm on weekdays and 10 am - 5 pm on weekends. Nurses will be available to answer questions and screen individuals for the coronavirus.
As of this week, the local health department is only aware of 35 people who had been tested for the coronavirus around Odessa. That pales in comparison to the approximately 190 tests that have been gathered in nearby Midland. In a press release, Odessa officials stated the lack of testing was due to a need for more testing sites throughout the city. Odessa and its two hospitals are fixing that deficit with satellite clinics where patients –with doctor's orders – can get tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Medical Center Hospital is opening up its three urgent care facilities for those who need to be tested for COVID-19. Their clinics are at the following locations:
Urgent Care – 42nd Street
1940 East 42nd Street
Odessa, TX 79762
Phone: (432) 640-2749
Mon – Fri 9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sat & Sun 10:00 a.m. to – 5:30 p.m.
Urgent Care – JBS Parkway
3001 JBS Parkway
Odessa, Texas 79762
Phone: (432) 640-6700
Mon – Fri 9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sat & Sun 10:00 a.m. to – 5:30 p.m.
Urgent Care – West University
6030 West University
Odessa, TX 79764
Phone: (432) 640-6600
Mon – Fri 9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sat & Sun 10:00 a.m. to – 5:30 p.m.
Odessa Regional Medical Center is opening a testing center at:
ORMC's West Campus Community Health Center
520 E. 5th Street
Odessa, TX 79761
Mon – Fri 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
All of the above sites will require a doctor's orders to receive a coronavirus test. So if you have been exposed to a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or you begin exhibiting symptoms of the disease call your primary caregiver or 432-640-2747 to be assessed by a health care worker.
The length of time it takes for COVID-19 test results to come back from labs may vary at this time due to a backlog of tests public and private labs around Texas are currently experiencing.
