Oakland Co. to begin drive-thru COVID-19 testing in Novi Friday

Pontiac — Oakland County will begin offering Friday drive-thru COVID-19 testing in Novi for first responders, health care workers, essential business employees and residents with appointments, officials said Monday. 

Testing will be offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 W. 10 Mile Road. About 250 tests can be performed each day at the site and appointments are required. Results are expected in 24 to 48 hours.

It's the county's third location to provide drive through testing. The Oakland County Health Division and Honor Community Health have been offering the testing at the Oakland County Complex, 1200 N. Telegraph Road in Pontiac, and the South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, in Southfield.

“We want to ensure that residents throughout the county have ready access to testing,” Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said in a statement. “This third location will contribute to our effort to stop the spread of the virus and keep up the momentum.”

A prescription or doctor's note is not needed and you don't have to show symptoms to be tested. 

County residents displaying coronavirus symptoms, such as fever, troubled breathing, persistent dry cough or who have underlying health conditions or are age 65 or older, may also be tested. However, they must first call the Oakland County Health Division’s Nurse on Call hotline at (800) 848-5533 to schedule an appointment.

"We applaud county’s effort to support Novi and the surrounding community with a new COVID-19 drive-through testing site," Oakland County Commissioner Gwen Markham, D-Novi, said in a statement. "Testing is key to quick treatment for anyone with coronavirus symptoms and essential to containment of the disease. We thank the (county executive) and the county for bringing an additional, more convenient drive-through location to the residents of southwestern Oakland County.”

Drive-thru testing at the Southfield location is offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and testing at the Pontiac site is offered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez