There will be mobile testing for the COVID-19 virus in Red River Parish.  Tests will be offered July 7^th through 10^th and they will be free to the public.

The parish director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is coordinating the testing.  Shane Hubbard told The Journal the testing will be used for contact tracing.

Hubbard said, “The Louisiana Department of Health is bringing their testing program to Red River.  It will be administered by the Louisiana National Guard.  This is the same program being offered in Shreveport and surrounding parishes.”

Hubbard said, “Anyone wishing to be tested can just drive up.  There is no doctors referral required and no appointment is required.”  He added the exact hours of operation will be announced later.”

Following the meeting of the Town Council on Monday, Mayor Johnny Cox and several council members discussed the need for testing with The Journal.  Cox said, “The town is offering the test site.  It will be at the Coushatta Community Center (former trade school building) in the industrial park.  We are partnering with parish OEP to provide the site.”

Cox said there was concern in the community expressed on social media following the Red River Parish Police Jury voting to deny a mobile testing application, reported by The Journal on June 5^th.  https://redriverparishjournal.com/2020/06/05/mobile-testing-site-denied/

The police jury did not reveal who or which entity had proposed testing.  But it turned down the proposal for a lack of specifics being presented.  Police Jury President Shawn Beard told the Journal on Wednesday that the reason for denial was a lack of information.

Beard said there were several unanswered questions and the people proposing the testing did not show up for the Police Jury meeting (on June 3^rd).  “We did not know if there would be any cost to the parish,” said Beard.  He added, “We did not have any specific information on what type of testing and what the proposed location would be.  We turned it down because there were too many unanswered question about the proposal.”

OPE Director Shane Hubbard told The Journal the state health department contacted his office and that is what got the testing project moving forward.