COVID-19 testing dates change to today, Friday only

The COVID-19 testing that was originally scheduled to begin today and continue through next week in Lincoln Parish has been changed.

The testing will now be done today and Friday only from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish Library Events Center, located at 910 North Trenton St. Representatives of Ochsner Health System will administer the tests.

The tests are available to Louisiana residents age 2 and older who have no symptoms of respiratory ailment caused by the novel coronavirus.

Though there are no out-of-pocket costs for the tests, participants should bring their insurance cards, if they’re insured.

Parish Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Kip Franklin said the schedule change was made by the state.

“The state scrubbed it. There’s no chance of rescheduling right now that I know of,” Franklin said.

State health officials have told Ochsner they want testing directed to nursing homes, he said.

Meantime, the number of confirmed cased of COVID-19 in Lincoln Parish continues to climb. As of noon Wednesday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported 193 cases. That’s nine more than Tuesday’s 184 cases, and a jump of almost 20 cases this week.

The parish has also recorded one more death due to COVID-19, bringing the total to 18.

Franklin attributed the to rise in cases to the increased testing over the past several weeks. The case count is cumulative, meaning it dates back to March 22, the date the first two Lincoln Parish cases were confirmed.