COVID-19 coverage, Health, Latest News, News The COVID-19 community testing site located at Tower Mall, 5403 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, will close at the end of the day on Friday, April 30.
More than 10,000 free COVID-19 tests have been administered at the Tower Mall Community Testing site since it opened Jan. 12. The free, no-barrier testing site has been a partnership between Clark County Public Health, the city of Vancouver, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agencies (CRESA), Washington State Department of Health and Curative.
The Tower Mall community testing site was opened to address the critical need for testing when access was extremely limited. Other Clark County COVID-19 testing resources have become more available in recent months, resulting in an overall decline in tests being administered at Tower Mall. With this in mind, Clark County Public Health and the city of Vancouver made the decision to close the testing site and focus on increasing capacity for vaccination efforts.
“While COVID-19 vaccination has become the focus across the country, testing continues to be an important tool for slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director. “We encourage anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has been in close contact with someone who tests positive to seek testing at another local testing site.”
Tower Mall will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment. Additional days of operation, including the possibility evening hours, are being considered. Operations staff currently working at the testing site will be transferred to the vaccine site or return to their previous roles working in Vancouver Parks and Recreation.
