The new walk-up COVID-19 testing site in Dallas' Pleasant Grove neighborhood will not open as scheduled Monday after someone broke in and stole all the testing equipment and supplies, according to Parkland Hospital.
The testing site at The Salvation Army’s Pleasant Grove Corps Community Center at 8341 Elam Road, which is maintained and managed by the Parkland Health & Hospital System, was to open for the first time Monday after moving from the Inspired vision Compassion Center over the weekend.
Without the necessary testing supplies and equipment, the facility can not provide any COVID-19 tests on Monday. However, Parkland said they expect the site to open at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Dallas City Council member Jaime Resendez had stern words for the person responsible.
“My message is that they or that particular person is impacting the health of our community in a negative way," he said. "The supplies that were taken are needed to be able to provide these tests to community members.
Hours of operation at the site will be Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until test capacity is reached. Appointments are not necessary.
Dallas County Judge, Clay Jenkins directed people to other testing sites Monday. He said the equipment and supplies that were taken will have to be pulled from somewhere else and restocked.
He said he’s outraged someone would take the equipment that’s so critical during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s selfish and bad, someone stealing test supplies. I’m not sure if they even knew what they were stealing. It can’t do them a lot of good, but it could certainly have done their community a lot of good," Jenkins said.
Two other walk-up test sites are operating in Dallas.
- Red Bird Mall/Westmoreland Park: 7222 South Westmoreland Road, Dallas; Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until the testing limit is reached.
- Sam Tasby Middle School: 7001 Fair Oaks Avenue, Dallas; Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until the testing limit is reached.
Drive-thru testing sites in Dallas County are below.
- Ellis Davis Field House: 9191 South Polk Street, Dallas; Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until the testing limit is reached.
- University of Dallas: 1845 East Northgate Drive, Irving; Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until the testing limit is reached.
To be tested for COVID-19, individuals must have a temperature of 99.6 or higher and shortness of breath or cough.
Exceptions to this requirement include anyone 65 years old or older, anyone with chronic health issues, any first responders, DART drivers, healthcare workers, grocery store and essential retail store workers, or individuals without symptoms who have been actively engaged in large group settings within the past 15 days.
Anyone experiencing severe symptoms like trouble breathing, ongoing pain or pressure in the chest, shaking, chills, confusion, difficulty staying awake, dizziness, feeling faint, or bluish lips or face should proceed to the nearest hospital emergency room.
For more information, call DCHHS at 214-819-2000 or visit https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus.php.
