The LOU Community is home to seven COVID-19 testing sites, according to a list released by Lafayette County last Friday.  

Family Medicine Group of Oxford, Internal Medicine Associates, Ole Town Med, Oxford Family Clinic LLC, Oxford OBGYN, Oxford Urgent Care and Urgent Care Clinic of Oxford are all equipped to administer tests to detect cases of the novel coronavirus.  

According to the County, these sites are all following CDC guidelines for testing. Some sites may only test existing patients, and the tests are subject to current availability. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the majority of patients with confirmed COVID-19 have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Criteria for testing includes: Hospitalized patients who have signs and symptoms compatible with COVID-19; other symptomatic individuals such as, older adults and individuals with chronic medical conditions and/or an immunocompromised state that may put them at higher risk for poor outcomes (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, receiving immunosuppressive medications, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease); and any persons including healthcare personnel, who within 14 days of symptom onset had close contact with a suspect or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patient, or who have a history of travel from affected geographic areas within 14 days of their symptom onset. 

Those who suspect they may have coronavirus should not just walk into a clinic, due to the contagious nature of the illness. Instead, they should call ahead of time to make sure their care provider has tests available and to notify healthcare professionals of their suspected symptoms prior to arrival.  

Many providers are testing people in their cars or other locations outside, as opposed to potentially exposing others inside the clinic to the virus. Patients should call their respective clinics for specific instructions.