Austin To Open Additional COVID-19 Testing Site In South Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Public Health will be opening an additional neighborhood testing site in South Austin next Tuesday, officials announced.

The test site will be located at 1416 Montopolis Dr. in the 78741 zip code, health district officials said in an emailed advisory. This site is the former Montopolis neighborhood center. Officials stressed the new Montopolis Recreation Center (located at 1200 Montopolis Dr. is not a test site.

Similar to the other neighborhood test sites, individuals are not required to arrive to the test site in a vehicle, and there are a limited number of slots available to individuals without an appointment. While there is more than enough capacity, city officials encourage people to sign up for an appointment to limit wait times at the site.

The hours of operation will be Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“The 78741 zip code is among the hardest hit by COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County, and Austin Public Health continues to work to reduce disparities in health outcomes for our community,” Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said in a prepared statement. “This testing site is another opportunity to reach people where they are and to ensure we are making testing available for all community members. Equity and public health were foremost considerations when planning the location, organization, and hours for this test site.”

Pflugerville Test Site Location Change

Beginning Saturday, Sept. 26, the Pflugerville test site, which is managed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), will be moving from the Pfield to 103 North Railroad Ave., officials added. This will be the Pflugerville testing location for the remainder of the year, officials added.

Test Result Turnaround Time

As the demand for testing has decreased, the turnaround time for test results has dropped to two days on average, officials said. Additionally, Austin Public Health has signed contracts with additional labs to diversify and maintain a lower turnaround time for testing, officials added, even if the number of tests performed by APH increases.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 Information portal on the municipal website.