Cellphone alert urges Clark County residents to get COVID-19 test

Cellphone alerts common with Amber Alerts and flash flood warnings took a different turn Tuesday.

The Clark County Office of Emergency Management sent an alert about 2:40 p.m. to urge people to register for free COVID-19 testing.

The alert appears to be part of Monday’s launch of the county’s 14-day “blitz” aimed at administering 60,000 tests.

A Clark County spokesman issued a statement via email:

“The Clark County Office of Emergency Management determined that under the existing Declaration of Emergency and the current health threat posed by COVID-19, it is important to make it widely known that this free, convenient, drive-thru testing is available. Through testing, we can identify who is positive and those persons can isolate themselves and slow the spread. Through testing, we can also conduct disease investigations and conduct contact tracing to alert those who may have been exposed. Through this Stop, Swab & Go effort, 60,000 tests are available through Sept. 18 and we encourage everyone to register at DoINeedaCOVID19test.com and get tested.

“In addition to testing offered through Stop, Swab & Go at Sam Boyd Stadium, Texas Station and Fiesta Henderson, testing is also offered through the UMC site at Cashman and UNLV. A calendar of local testing sites is available at https://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/covid-19-testing-sites.”

Contact Tony Garcia at tgarcia@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307. Follow @TonyGLVNews on Twitter.