Site offers pre-surgery covid-19 tests

FORT SMITH — A covid-19 test collection site in Fort Smith will also provide required covid-19 tests for patients ahead of planned procedures at Mercy Fort Smith and Baptist Health-Fort Smith.

This comes after Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s decision to ease restrictions on elective surgeries in the state, a news release states. The test collection site, a collaborative effort between the two hospitals and Sebastian County, has collected more than 1,450 covid-19 tests from River Valley residents since opening March 19.

Surgery patients will be called for an appointment to test after their surgery is scheduled. The appointments will be scheduled from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Patients with any questions are advised to contact their surgeon’s office.

The River Valley Health Support Hotline is also still available for River Valley residents with any questions or concerns about covid-19 or who need to be screened. Callers are screened by a health care professional through a questionnaire, with those needing to be sent for testing being given an appointment after 10 a.m. The hotline, at (479) 289-6508, operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Residents are also encouraged to use the hotline if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

■ Fever, chills or rigors

■ Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

■ Cough

■ Sore throat

■ New onset of loss of taste or smell

The staff for the hotline has answered more than 5,800 calls since opening on March 19, and screened more than 3,700 patients for covid-19 symptoms.