New Registration Process for Walker Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing Site

Updated Wednesday, January 19
The last day of COVID-19 testing at the Walker Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing Site will be Sunday, January 23rd. The Ohio Department of Health and Ohio National Guard have been working collaboratively with Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals to operate the site.

COVID-19 cases in our community have been decreasing, and the demand for testing has decreased. Therefore, the state and Ohio National Guard will shift its resources to other locations. The community testing site opened on December 21 and has tested nearly 25,000 people.

COVID-19 testing is still available through many physician hospitals, health systems, or urgent care locations. The ODH website features a searchable map of testing locations at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/other-resources/testing-ch-centers. While testing supplies are in high demand, over-the-counter rapid testing kits can still be purchased at many locations, such as pharmacies and grocery stores. Testing is also available at many urgent care locations, community health centers, retail locations, and pop-up sites.

We encourage individuals not to seek testing at Emergency Departments. To best serve our patients in need of emergency services, Greater Cleveland’s hospital systems will limit COVID-19 testing in emergency departments to patients who are going to be admitted to the hospital.

Updated Wednesday, December 22 at 4:45 p.m.
Due to the overwhelming demand for testing, updates have been implemented at the Walker Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing Site in order to better serve our community.

Individuals will now need to register for a scheduled appointment time at https://redcap.link/WalkerCOVIDTesting. Once an appointment time is confirmed, individuals will be prompted to register with Mako labs. Everyone must have a confirmed appointment time and a QR code from MAKO to be tested, even if you have previously registered. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate any unscheduled patients.

The on-site, drive-thru testing will be located in the garage of the W. O. Walker Building in University Circle, 10524 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Individuals 2 years and older are able to register. The site will offer free PCR testing, and individuals will receive their results in approximately 2-3 days. Masks are required except when testing is underway.

Due to the high demand for testing, we ask individuals not to arrive more than 15 minutes early for your test. Those who arrive more than 15 minutes early will be asked to come back at their scheduled appointment time. If you are unable to register at the Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing site, we encourage you to find a COVID-19 test at one of many other locations, such as a local retail pharmacy, doctor’s office, community health center, or urgent care center. Visit the Coronavirus.Ohio.gov site to find a testing center near you. Rapid testing kits are available for purchase at groceries and pharmacies, and for free at many local health departments and public libraries. Please do not go to an emergency department for COVID-19 testing.

The Walker Community COVID-19 Testing site is led by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio National Guard and supported by Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.

Monday, December 20
Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals will support a community COVID-19 testing site staffed by the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Department of Health.

The on-site, drive-thru testing will be located in the garage of the W. O. Walker Building in University Circle, 10524 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.

The Walker Center Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing Site will open on Tuesday, Dec. 21 for individuals aged 2 years and older. It will initially operate Tuesday through Sunday of this week, but will be closed on Saturday, December 25. The testing site will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional hours and sites may be announced in the future.

Patients do not need an appointment but will need to register prior to coming to the site at: https://mako.exchange/scheduler/select-state/. Please select “Ohio” and then search for the Walker Center location. You may choose if you have a primary care provider at Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals or neither. The testing is free, open to everyone and individuals do not need a doctor’s order to obtain a test. The site will offer PCR tests, and individuals will receive their results in approximately 2-3 days. Masks are required except when testing is underway.

Northeast Ohio is currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections and increased demand for healthcare services, particularly in our emergency departments. To best serve our patients in need of emergency services, Greater Cleveland’s hospital systems will limit COVID-19 testing in emergency departments to patients who are going to be admitted to the hospital. The change will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 21, at all Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth System, and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center locations.

The Ohio Department of Health, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals ask those in need of testing to utilize the Walker Center Cleveland Community COVID-19 Testing Site. This will allow emergency department personnel to focus on urgent medical emergencies, as the hospital systems continue to treat record numbers of patients for COVID-19.

The Ohio Department of Health is offering free rapid at-home antigen testing kits at many sites across the state of Ohio, including local health departments, public libraries, and community health centers. These self-testing kits may also be available for purchase at local pharmacies and retailers. It is important to know, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, that a patient who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and receives a positive test result on a home antigen test (self-test kit) does not need a PCR test to confirm a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, and should immediately isolate and work with public health officials for any necessary contact tracing. Using the rapid tests when available will give patients in need of a PCR test faster access to testing.

People who are in medical distress are still encouraged to utilize the emergency departments, or call 911.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

ODH Office of Communications:
(614) 644-8562, opa@odh.ohio.gov

Cleveland Clinic:
Andrea Pacetti, 216.316.3040, pacetta@ccf.org
Angie Kiska, 216.312.9170, mailto:kiskaa@ccf.org

University Hospitals:
Carly Belsterling, 412-889-8866, Carly.Belsterling@uhhospitals.org