Free Coronavirus Testing Leads to Long Lines

April 19, 2020

Staff photos by Barry West and Mary Knott

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the state’s Unified-Command group offered FREE COVID-19 testing to any Tennessean, regardless of traditional symptoms over the weekend.

Coffee, Bedford and Rutherford counties had locations open and many, many people took advantage of the service to be tested. Hundreds of vehicles lined up for the free tests. In many cases the vehicles had multiple people being swabbed.

Rapid improvements to testing have allowed the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Military, and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to develop and offer expanded testing for the entire state.

The expanded testing will continue this weekend, April 25-26 and May 2-3.

In addition to drive-through sites, all rural county health departments across the state offer free COVID-19 testing 5 days a week.

Lucky Knott

One of Southern Tennessee's most experienced and recognized news broadcasters and play-by-play sportscasters. News and Sports Director for Rooster 101.5 FM, 93.9 The Duck and Whiskey Country 105.1, and 95.9. He is currently the play-by-play voice of the Coffee County Red Raiders (30 years) on The Rooster 101.5 and can be heard M-F broadcasting our local news. Lucky has done play-by-play for 3,917 (and counting) sports events on Radio & TV. He also served four years as the Public Information Officer for the Coffee Co. Sheriff's Dept. and taught Radio/TV for six years at Grundy County High School.