TIFTON — The Tift County National Guard Armory will host mobile COVID-19 testing this week, according to a press release.

The testing will take place 10 a.m.—3 p.m. on Apr. 30 and May 1, weather permitting.

The Tift County National Guard Armory is located at 3111 U.S. 41 S.

The mobile testing is part of a COVID-19 testing initiative to set up drive-thru sites in communities without access to testing.

The unit will test Georgians who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, all health care providers and first responders can be tested whether or not they are exhibiting symptoms. An appointment for testing can be made at www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com, but on-site scheduling also will be available.

The mobile unit will travel between Augusta, Milledgeville, and Tifton on a rotating basis. The site is supported by Walmart, eTrueNorth, and state and local officials.

“Serving Augusta, Milledgeville, Tifton, and the surrounding regions, this mobile unit will be a game-changing step in our efforts to ensure access to COVID-19 across Georgia,” said Governor Brian Kemp, in the release. “Increased testing is critical as we continue the measured process of safely reopening parts of our state, and I am grateful to our many partners with Walmart, eTrueNorth, and in these communities which provided support to get this operation online.”

“Walmart is committed to supporting the state of Georgia’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing, especially in communities that have had limited access to testing,” said Glen Wilkins, Walmart Public Affairs Director for Georgia. “We are grateful to our pharmacists and associates who are supporting these testing sites, and to eTrueNorth and local officials as we work together to open sites that will help Georgians access timely testing.”

Appointments must be made through eTrueNorth’s online portal at www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com, which will screen individuals to ensure they meet CDC eligibility for testing. On-site scheduling will be available for those who are not able to schedule online. For questions regarding testing, call 800-635-8611.

Those being tested will need to stay in their cars for verification of eligibility criteria, ID check, and self-administered test. For the safety of all those on-site, the test site is not available to walk-ups; those being tested must be in a car.

The site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose on-site while in their vehicles, observed by a trained medical professional to ensure the sample is taken correctly, and then dropped in the sealed sample into a container on their way out of the drive-thru site.

eTrueNorth, a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will handle processing test samples and communicating results to those tested and applicable departments of health.

The site will be staffed by volunteers, including Walmart healthcare professionals and eTrueNorth team members.