CARD Clinic resumes drive-thru testing

A Libby clinic is again offering free drive-thru COVID-19 testing four days a week to residents who call ahead.

The Center for Asbestos Related Disease has recently resumed the service thanks to a grant from an agency with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a news release from the clinic. The drive-thru testing site is open Monday through Thursday mornings, from 9:30 to 11:30.

Employees will provide the tests along a gravel road near the clinic’s main building. The CARD clinic is located at 214 E. Third St. Drivers should follow signs indicating the way to the testing site and are asked to stay in their vehicles. The clinic is hosting the tests outdoors to protect its patients and staff.

Before stopping by, residents must schedule an appointment by calling the clinic at (406) 293-9274, extension 143. Clinic employees will ask anyone who shows up at the drive-thru without an appointment to call and schedule a time.

When setting up an appointment, CARD employees need to give further instructions and collect demographic data and contact information.

Clinic staff will report any positive test results to the Lincoln County Health Department for contact tracing. Since CARD cannot guarantee lab results within 72 hours, the clinic is not offering tests for travelers.

Any residents with severe symptoms, including trouble breathing, should call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency department, officials said.