FERGUSON, Mo. — A testing site will open Tuesday in one of the areas in St. Louis County hit hardest by the coronavirus.
The COVID-19 testing site will open at 6 a.m. in Ferguson’s Ward 1 at 800 Chambers Road. The site will be on the parking lot of the former Christian Care Nursing Home.
A community of medical professionals, faith leaders, local leaders and private providers came together to make the testing site idea a reality. It all started with an idea from Councilwoman Ella Jones, who said she was alarmed by the disproportionate number of African-Americans sickened by the virus.
This will be the first testing center in Ferguson. Previously, the closest locations were in Berkeley and Jennings, according to the county's website.
The new testing site will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The hours will be 6 – 9 a.m.
Anyone wanting to be tested must first be screened over the phone. The number to call is 314-735-0220. The phone number is now active.
As of Monday evening, there were 78 COVID-19 cases in Ferguson’s 63135 ZIP code and 256 cases in the 63136 ZIP code. That ZIP code has a rate of 5.88 cases for every 1,000 residents, making it one of the areas with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases per person in St. Louis County.