Moss Point nonprofit offers free coronavirus testing

MOSS POINT, Miss. (WLOX) - As Mississippi experiences a spike in coronavirus cases, one Moss Point organization is working to keep the virus under control with free testing.

The Moss Point Visionary Circle is offered free coronavirus tests to anyone who needed it. The city was previously identified as a hotspot in the early stages of the pandemic on the Coast, but community groups said residents have become more health-conscious.

“This is my hometown. I felt obligated to do something about it. We are going to do something about it. This is just the beginning of what we’re going to do,” said Callie Marshall with Moss Point Visionary Circle.

Cars lined up at the Riverfront Recreation Center from 9 a.m. well into the afternoon on Saturday to take the finger stick test.

“It’s just like a blood glucose. You stick the finger, get a drop of blood, put it in a cassette, put a drop of reagent on it and read it in 10 minutes,” Marshall said.

Volunteers were prepared to use up to 400 tests. The Visionary Circle plans to host more testing events to help people slow the spread of COVID-19.

“They’re wearing their masks and everyone that I see that does not have one, I’ll give them a mask and try to get them to understand that this is a serious condition," Marshall said.

The next free testing event will be Saturday, June 20 at the Riverfront Recreation Center in Moss Point at 9 a.m.

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