The Verdant Health Commission, City of Mountlake Terrace, and Medical Teams International will host free, drive-thru, non-invasive COVID-19 testing at Mountlake Terrace High School from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2.  

Verdant and Medical Teams has increased testing capacity at this event by adding staffing to reduce wait times. Signage will be posted to indicate wait times for participants in the vehicle line up.   

The high school, located at 21801 44th Ave. W, Mountlake Terrace, will have traffic flowing one-way around the school building, with vehicles entering from the southern driveway and ending up in the student parking lot at the front of the school for testing. Uniformed police officers will be present to direct traffic. See map for details. 

The testing event begins at 11 a.m. Please do not arrive early as there will be families picking up meals at the high school from 10-11 a.m. 

Increased volunteers will also help improve the flow of vehicles and communication. Community members interested in volunteering at COVID-19 testing events should complete the Medical Teams volunteer application.  

This testing event is intended to reduce barriers to testing, including symptom checks, insurance requirements, and access for people with transportation challenges.  Some reminders:

·       It is possible to have COVID-19 and not be symptomatic, which could result in unintentionally spreading the virus to others, so these events do not require symptom checks. 

·       This event is free to everyone, regardless of insurance coverage. If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card, as providing that information will preserve grant funds to cover the costs for those without insurance.  

·      While this is a drive-thru event, walk-ups will be served to support people traveling by bus or foot. 

Medical Teams staff will register each person from their vehicle. For infection control purposes, clients will not touch the registration paperwork. Please bring your ID and health insurance cards if you have insurance. 

Tests are sent to the University of Washington and results can easily be accessed online with a code that is provided at the testing site. Test results are available two to five days after the test, however results may be available in as soon as 24-48 hours.

The testing method used is anterior nasal swabbing, resulting in less discomfort than other methods. About 1 cm of the swab is inserted into one nostril at a time and rotated for about 10 seconds. The test is safe for anyone age 2 and older. 

To learn more, contact Jennifer Piplic, director of marketing and communication at Verdant: jennifer.piplic@verdanthealth.org or 425-582-8600.