The US is racing to expand coronavirus testing - here's how to find a test site near you

Jim Urquhart/Reuters

A health care worker tests people at a drive-thru testing station.

• A new database reveals the locations of coronavirus testing sites across the US.
• Users can narrow their search by location, distance in miles, and whether a drive-thru option is available.
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Two startups have released a new database to help people find US testing sites for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The database is available at www.covid19testing.today. It allows users to input their address to find testing sites near them.

The tool was created by The Social App and Basil Labs, two companies operating out of the Georgetown University Venture Lab, a coworking space for alumni entrepreneurs.

Users can narrow their search by location, distance in miles, and whether a drive-thru option is available. They can also select from a menu of requirements such as "local residents only" or "children only."

The US has been racing to expand coronavirus testing, and new sites are being added regularly. Retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Walgreens, have launched testing sites in the parking lots of select stores in recent weeks.

Walgreens announced this week that it would be expanding testing sites to 15 more locations in seven states, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas.

The database will update daily as new sites are added.

"While we are working every day to expand the number of locations hosted in our platform, there is no single, complete list of testing centers in America," the database website states. "While many who have COVID-19 have a mild illness and can recover at home, if you or someone you know is showing more severe symptoms or is at a higher risk, please do not hesitate: Contact your local health department or medical provider."

The Centers for Disease Control offers information on symptoms on its website and recommends people call their doctors if they have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever or symptoms such as a cough or difficulty breathing.

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