As more cold weather approaches, Missouri to close some drive-thru COVID-19 test sites
Missouri’s health agency says some COVID-19 testing sites will be closed Thursday, including one in Kansas City, as dangerously cold weather is predicted.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced Wednesday night that the Kansas City drive-thru site in the Heavy Construction Laborers parking lot at 7820 Prospect Avenue would not be open.
“Extreme cold can present dangerous environments for staff working these outdoor events and also causes technology to malfunction,” the agency said in a news release. “A technology malfunction in this setting would result in significant delays in both specimen collection and laboratory processing.”
Other area test sites were scheduled to continue operations, though the health department advised residents to check its website for updates. Closures are being done across the state, including the St. Louis area, the health department said.
Temperatures in Kansas City fell Wednesday as a round of Arctic air sent the first round of dangerously cold wind chills. Over the coming days, the National Weather Service predicts single-digit temperatures overnight Thursday that could feel below zero with the wind.
The cold weather is expected to linger until the weekend, when temperatures are expected to climb to around 40 degrees.
The Star’s Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 19, 2022 at 8:01 PM.
