FREE COVID-19 TESTING; RESULTS GUARANTEED IN 24 HOURS; PRUEBA DE COVID-19 GRATIS DIARIO EN LA CRISTO REY

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Notice the long lines of cars at Cristo Rey (Christ the King) Catholic Church on Southmost Saturday?

Was it a line to get food? Or maybe a church function??

We asked the parish about it and were told that a new outfit in town is providing free COVID-19 testing free of charge for anyone who has an I.D. and wants to know whether they have the virus.

According to the church, this outfit, operating under the name of Dignity LLC, will test you and if you have medical insurance, they will charge the insurance. If you have Medicare of Medicaid, they will pay for the test. If you don't have any way to pay, you will be tested for free.

Dignity will offer the service at the Cristo Rey site from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

 Dignity says that the company qualified for the CARES act administered and funded by the U.S. Health and Human Services Dept. Dr. Manjula Raguthu, MD, a Brownsville Family Medicine Specialist is overseeing the operations.

On Saturday, the company had to stop testing after they ran out of the 326 test kits on hand. This Monday they will continue to test. If a person is tested before 2 p.m. when they ship their samples for testing, result will be available in 24 hours.

"We are offering the Rapid 15 minutes and the PCR and we expecting to receive the Sofia Testing soon since it has already been released and approved for Emergency Use. Dignity has already purchased Sofia and is expecting it here soon," said former Brownsville Independent School District trustee Catalina Garza-Presas, who is assisting the company with outreach to introduce free COVID-19 testing to the Southmost area. Presas-Garcia was born in Southmost and attended nearby Porter High School.

"We tried to get in touch with the city to make the services available but got no response," she said. "But my parish Christ The King received us with open arms," she said. "We will stay here until our services are no longer needed. We are committed to provide this service through this pandemic."

"All you need to get tested is an ID and a little patience while we test everyone who stops by. The  government needs to know the extend of the spread of this vicious virus."

Dignity says it is offering the rapid 15 minutes test and the PCR and expecting to receive the Sofia Test soon since it has already been released and approved for emergency use. Its staff and personnel have more than 40 years of medical health experience, 60 years of law enforcement and more than  60 years of education and public service.