Parent voices concern about coronavirus testing site at Copper Trails Elementary's parking lot

Parent voices concern over drive-thru testing site at West Valley elementary school

One parent says she's concerned because a COVID testing site is in the parking lot of her child's school. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Students are back inside for classes at Copper Trails Elementary near 169th Drive and Van Buren Street, but some parents have said the COVID-19 testing has been there for months issue-free. Now that the children are back in school, they're concerned about it being in their parking lot.

Avondale Elementary School District officials say they've spoken with medical professionals and feel it is safe.

That didn't ease Katie's Dold's concerns. She's a nurse and drops off her kindergarten and 2nd grade children here everyday now.

The testing is a drive-thru site, so any potentially COVID-19 positive patients wouldn't leave their car, but Dold says she's had to talk to her kids about this since they see it daily and there is concern about strangers being in the parking lot all day. She says it's just not worth any risk.

"We think it’s great testing is happening and it needs to happen in our community, but any risk to our children who are just coming back to school after being gone for eight months.. it just doesn’t make sense why we’re having it," said Dold. "The schools were closed for eight months and now here’s a testing location right near our school, so I think that’s our main concern. Yes, have the testing, but have it somewhere else."

We received a statement from the district:

"The COVID testing center at Copper Trails’ parking lot is drive through only. People being tested do not exit their vehicles at any point in time. Students, staff and families do not walk by the testing site during our drop-off/pickup procedures. The testing site is not in direct contact with students, staff or families entering the school site. As an additional precaution, we have asked the testing site to suspend testing during pickup and drop off times.

We work with Healthy Verify and have been assured from medical professionals that this does not expose our community in any way. We feel confident that we can serve our students and keep them safe and free of any exposure, as well as, help the community in being able to offer this resource to get tested."

FOX 10 also reached out to Embry Women's Health, whose officials said they are "committed to site and providing tests during the pandemic in a convenient way."

Officials with Embry Women's Health told FOX 10 that they'd work with concerned parents to provide more separation between school and site.