LEXINGTON, Ky. — Free drive-up and walk-up coronavirus testing will be offered in neighborhoods around Lexington. Mayor Linda Gorton (R) announced Tuesday it will help deal with the disproportionate increase of cases in the city's Hispanic and Black communities. 


What You Need To Know


  • Free neighborhood testing begins Thursday

  • Helping with increases in Hispanic & Black communities.

  • Cardinal Valley first neighborhood on list

Gorton said. “Getting people tested is vitally important. With COVID-19, sometimes there are no symptoms, or it feels like an allergy attack. Some people continue to infect others because they do not know they have the virus. The more people who get tested, the better we know what we have to do to slow the increase.”

The Mobile Neighborhood Testing Program kicks off Thursday in Lexington's Cardinal Valley neighborhood. Bluewater Diagnostic Laboratory will provide free testing at Cardinal Valley Elementary School and, on Saturday, in Valley Park at the shelter. Information in Spanish will be available and bilingual staff members will be on hand to assist. 

Lexington-Fayette County Commissioner of Health Dr. Kraig Humbaugh said, “Because the percentage of COVID-19 cases in people who identify as Hispanic has risen in Lexington, the Cardinal Valley test sites may make testing more available to this community. This is another opportunity for people to be tested for COVID-19 in a location that could be more convenient to where they live and work.”

This week’s round of testing will begin at Cardinal Valley Elementary School at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, and 2-8 p.m. Friday, June 26. On Saturday, June 27, the testing will move to the Cardinal Valley Park shelter. Testing will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Face masks will be provided to those being tested while supplies last. A Spanish-speaking translator will be available on site.

Drive-thru testing is also available seven days a week at the Walgreen’s testing location at 2296 Executive Drive (the corner of Winchester Road and Executive Drive). Tests will continue for approximately two weeks, or until they run out of test kits. Online registration is recommended, but not required.

Another drive-thru testing location is available, at least through July, at the Kroger Health testing site at Bluegrass Community & Technical College Newtown Campus. The testing entrance is located off Loudon Avenue near the intersection with Newtown Pike. Testing is available by appointment. Appointments are available Monday through Friday.