BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) issued a Thursday (Feb. 18) morning news release regarding the functioning of its COVID-19 community testing locations in certain parts of south Louisiana.

Due to the winter storm, many locations will be closed on Thursday and throughout the remainder of the week.

According to the release, sites in the Baton Rouge, Southwest, Cenla, Northwest and Northeast regions will remain closed Thursday.

Officials also say that Northwest and Northeast testing sites will be closed through the rest of the week. An announcement will be made on Thursday afternoon/evening in regards to the reopening of remaining sites. 

Testing site schedules are listed below:

Information related to testing locations:

-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.

Pre-registration for COVID-19 testing is encouraged by going to Health.QuestDiagnostics.com/STLOU.

Officials say testing is available for individuals at least three years of age and older.

There is no cost, and no identification is needed.

Test results are available by calling 1-866-MYQUEST (1-866-697-8378), but note that wait times can be lengthy. Test results are also available through the Quest online portal or app.

If a patient is unable to make it to a Louisiana National Guard (LANG) testing location, no-cost testing is also available by appointment at select Walgreens locations through a partnership between Walgreens and the Department of Health.

These locations offer testing seven days a week to individuals at least three years of age and older. Appointments are required and can be set up online at walgreens.com/covid19testing.

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