CEDAR CITY — Yellow tents have been placed at the Cedar City InstaCare to help protect employees from the elements and make the testing process for COVID-19 more efficient.

Public Relations and Communications Manager Becki Bronson told Cedar City News the large, yellow tents allow residents to be tested without leaving their car.

“The tents are merely to protect the caregivers from the elements and to make it easy for people to get tested just by staying in their car,” she said.

Bronson said there are signs near the tents indicating where to park and providing a number to call so caregivers can screen individuals and determine if they should be tested.

“Caregivers are going to ask you a few screening questions. Once they’ve asked you those questions, you pull forward through the tents, and they take the sample that’s going to be tested,” Bronson said.

Test samples are sent to facilities in the Wasatch Front to be tested and may take an average of 24-48 hours to determine results depending on how many samples facilities are receiving.

Bronson said the Southwest Utah Public Health Department is working with the state health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to handle any samples that test positive for the coronavirus.

“If there’s a positive test, the health department takes the lead on the notification of the positive test working with the positive patient, determining what next steps are with them,” Bronson said.

Communications Manager Dave Green said testing for the virus will be covered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

“With the passing of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, everybody will be covered for COVID-19 testing and related exam costs, and that’s regardless of insurance status,” Green said. “Any copays or in-network requirements are also waved.”

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