City leaders say Tiger Lane testing site 'underused,' encourage health care workers to get tested now

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UPDATE : Testing appointments are currently not being taken for asymptomatic health care workers. Plans are forthcoming, after the COVID-19 Task Force meets Friday.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — City leaders are encouraging health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes to get tested for COVID-19 now, while lines are short at the city’s testing sites.

Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday that the drive-through testing site at Tiger Lane is seeing a decline in patients.

“Tiger Lane is underused. It could test many more people every single day,” he said.

That has the COVID-19 Task Force reaching out to health workers to get tested — even if they aren’t showing the typical symptoms — while the city has space to handle them.

“The people that we are trying to encourage to go get tested are health care workers on the front line. We want people who work in nursing homes and people who work in emergency departments and primary care clinics,” Strickland said.

Dr. Jeff Warren, a city councilman and task force, member said they know there is a certain percentage of people out there who have the virus but don’t realize they are sick. That’s who they want to find.

It’s a strong plan of attack, according to the mayor.

Other private hospitals have started testing its health care workers to see if they’re asymptomatic.

Baptist told us it’s tested almost 200 of its healthcare workers, and 2% were positive.

Warren believes these efforts will eventually expand to other workers, like restaurant workers, for instance.

If you work in a health care or senior care facility, call one of the city’s testing locations and let know them know what you do and that you want to be screened. If you work at a senior care facility, Warren suggests talking with your manager or your private doctor.