BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) issued a Wednesday (Dec. 30) news release pertaining to COVID testing services that will be available to residents of Hammond and surrounding areas beginning Monday, Jan. 4.

Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG) will oversee testing at Southeastern Louisiana University, 500 W. University Ave., Hammond. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, January 4 to Friday, January 8. The site is closed during state holidays and inclement weather.

On that note, all LANG sites/parish health units, will be closed to the public on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Pre-registration for January's COVID-19 testing services are encouraged.

Those interested can register online at: Health.QuestDiagnostics.com/STLOU.

Free testing services are available to individuals ages 3 and older. Officials say patients do not need to bring identification with them and that results will be made available by calling 1-866-MYQUEST (1-866-697-8378).

That said, LDH notes that wait times can be lengthy.

Test results are also available through the Quest online portal or app.

Additional test site details

-Once on site, those being tested will need to wear a mask and stay in their cars.

-For those ages 13 and older, the site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose on site while in their vehicles. Those being tested will drop the sealed sample into a container on their way out of the drive-thru site.

-Parents will administer tests to their children ages 12 and younger.

-While awaiting results, individuals who have been tested should follow CDC guidelines and take steps to help prevent the virus from spreading to people in their home and community.

Ciizens are encouraged to save the number 877-766-2130 in their phones.

Anyone who receives a call from 877-766-2130 is urged to answer, as the call is from a contact tracer who will keep an individual's information private. Personal information is used to quickly identify anyone a COVID-positive individual may have been in close contact with to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone called by a contact tracer is advised to monitor themselves for signs of illness for 14 days from when they first came in contact with the COVID-19 person.

If a resource need is identified through the contact tracing interview, the case is flagged for follow-up from a resource coordinator social worker who can connect individuals with resources including medication, masks, food assistance and even help locating alternative housing.

If someone calls from a number other than 877-766-2130, claims to be a contact tracer and asks for personal information, hang up immediately. If you have a positive lab result and have not yet heard from a contact tracer, you can call our team directly at 877-766-2130.

For information from the Louisiana Department of Health on COVID-19, click here.