The testing center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every weekday.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is opening a new testing center for COVID-19 (coronavirus).

The hospital announced on Monday afternoon, March 9, that it opened a new test center for those who suspect they may have a case of novel coronavirus. Kim Witkop, interim CEO and chief medical officer for the hospital, explained how the testing center would function.

“Today SVH will open a COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) test collection site at 2 p.m. for those in the community either experiencing symptoms suggestive of infection or exposed to someone known to be positive. Symptoms are persisting fevers, cough and occasionally a sore throat,” Witkop said in an email. “Test samples will not be run on site. They will be submitted to a national testing site with results returning in 72 hours which is currently faster than the state lab is able to process results due to overwhelmed capacity.”

The testing site will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and the duration of the testing site will be tied to the need for testing, Witkop said.

“We are taking extreme efforts to minimize introduction of the virus to our vulnerable patient population inside the hospital. There is a designated entry to the site approximately 25 yards to the left of the main hospital entrance — do not use the main hospital entry doors,” Witkop said. “Please wear any variety of facial covering participants have available into the site until a mask can be placed upon entry.”