Chickasaw Nation Builds COVID-19 Test Centers

The Chickasaw Nation’s COVID-19 temporary testing centers are designed as drive-throughs so patients do not exit their vehicles. Pictured: The New York National Guard at a drive-through testing site in New York. (Photo by New York National Guard, Flickr/Creative Commons)

The Chickasaw Nation is embracing a ‘warrior mentality’ to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Its COVID-19 test centers serve both the Chickasaw people and the greater community.

Given higher incidence of disease and other factors like the prevalence of multi-generational living on reservations, Native Americans are more vulnerable than other populations to contracting coronavirus, and facing complications from it if they do.

Tribes nationwide are bracing for the public health crisis and taking precautions. Some are locking down Tribal borders, and others, like the Pueblo of Pojoaque, are transitioning casino and entertainment complexes into temporary quarantine shelters for citizens awaiting test results for COVID-19.

Among the Tribes spearheading proactive measures to prevent the virus’ spread is the Chickasaw Nation.

The Chickasaw Nation Department of Health has introduced COVID-19 temporary testing centers to provide access to tests for patients with coronavirus-related symptoms. These tented structures are located at Chickasaw Nation Health Clinics in Ardmore and Purcell in addition to the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center in Ada, Oklahoma.

Tents are located in parking lot areas of these facilities and stocked with necessary medical equipment to assess patients quickly for potential infection of COVID-19. The areas are designed as drive-throughs so patients do not exit their vehicle. The tents keep patients separated from the healthy population while providing quick and timely care, a Tribal release states.

“We are here to not only serve the Chickasaw people, but the public at large as needed,” said Chickasaw Nation Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Krueger. “We want to keep our community healthy and do our part to fight this pandemic with a warrior mentality.”

The Chickasaw Nation has established a COVID-19 Hotline for individuals who feel they are having signs and symptoms of the virus. (For residents in and near Ardmore, Purcell, and Ada, the COVID-19 hotline can be reached by calling (580) 272-1312.) Lab results are currently taking 5 to 7 days.