Drive-thru monkeypox testing available at Viral Solutions in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - With the state of Georgia having the fifth most confirmed monkeypox cases in the United States, officials have opened drive-thru testing at Viral Solutions to serve the metro Atlanta area.

“As the largest provider of COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in Georgia, we are thrilled to leverage our efficient PCR COVID-19 testing model to expand into Monkeypox testing,” says Viral Solutions co-founder and president, Ron Sanders, PA-C. “We’re always looking to help our community stay safe and get rapid healthcare when and where they need it. It’s important issues like this that drive us to do even more and get better every day.”

Viral Solutions’ Monkeypox testing location is located near the Briarcliff/North Druid Hills/Clairmont area:

● Viral Solutions—Decatur is located at 2512 N Druid Hills Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329.

● Operating Hours: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturdays

Officials say patients will be evaluated in real-time by a local team of Viral Solutions physicians and physician assistants, and Monkeypox test results will be available in 48-72 hours.

Viral Solutions officials hope to shrink monkeypox testing turnaround time from 48-72 hours to less than 24 hours.

After the initial opening of the Decatur Monkeypox testing tent on Aug. 22, Viral Solutions officials say they will soon be expanding to all of its locations throughout Atlanta.

Out of the 14,115 total confirmed monkeypox cases in the U.S., Georgia now has 1,066, according to the CDC. Only New York (2,744), California (2,663), Florida (1,372) and Texas (1,079) have more confirmed cases according to the CDC. Those states rank No. 4, No. 1, No. 3 and No. 2 in total population respectively.

“Monkeypox is rapidly growing to become an emergent threat to public health in the Western Hemisphere,” says Viral Solutions co-founder and CEO, Ben Lefkove, MD. “Viral Solutions stands prepared to meet this threat head-on. We have innovated novel approaches to testing (and ultimately vaccine delivery) through our drive-thru infrastructure, such that patients can be evaluated with appropriate levels of privacy, and still get the care they need quickly and efficiently.”

South Fulton officials recently announced that masks are officially being mandated inside city buildings again after a resurgence in COVID-19 and monkeypox cases.

“We look forward to the imminent rollout of monkeypox testing through the existing Viral Solutions tents, and we will continue to be here for our patients and the Atlanta community through current and future pandemics,” said Lefkove.

Click here to view the CDC’s 2022 U.S. Map & Moneypox Case Count

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