​Hyundai Donation and Support Provide Expanded COVID-19 Testing in West Montgomery and Lowndes County

MONTGOMERY – New drive-thru sites begin testing for COVID-19 this week in west Montgomery and Hayneville. 
 
The expanded testing is the result of a partnership between the City of Montgomery, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Health Services, Incorporated (HSI), Assurance Scientific Laboratories and the Alabama Department of Public Health.  Members of the public will be tested for the COVID-19 Coronavirus without having to pay any out-of-pocket costs. 

“Our community owes a huge debt of gratitude to Hyundai for its generosity and assistance in setting up these drive-thru testing sites.” Said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed.  “I reached out to Hyundai because South Korea’s response to the pandemic has been extraordinary.  Our cooperative effort with Hyundai will enable us to increase testing and better serve the people of Montgomery.”  

HSI is operating test sites at its Montgomery Primary Healthcare Center (3058 Mobile Highway, Montgomery) and Hayneville Family Health Center (511 East Tuskeena, Hayneville) locations.  Appointments are required for testing and can be arranged by calling 334-420-8620. 

When the pandemic began to be heavily impact Alabama, Mayor Reed reached out to Hyundai leadership in Alabama, California and the Republic of South Korea seeking surplus testing supplies.  The automaker responded with 5,000 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests donated to the City and 5,000 donated to the State of Alabama.  The tests, developed by Seegene, a South Korea-based global leader in multiplex molecular diagnostics, can simultaneously detect 3 different genes (N, E and RdRP genes) of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for causing COVID-19. 
 
The Seegene tests will be analyzed by Assurance Scientific Laboratories.  Assurance Labs, based in Birmingham, Alabama, specializes in molecular diagnostics and microbiology. Assurance Labs was the first commercial lab in the state of Alabama to begin testing for COVID-19.  Since they began testing on March 11, Assurance Labs has tested almost 40,000 patients and provides test results within 24 hours of the time specimens are received. 
   
The Alabama Department of Public Health also supports the expanded testing initiative.  Additional test sites in western Black Belt counties are due to start later this month. 

For more information on the City of Montgomery’s COVID-19 response, please visit www.mgmready.com.