Coronavirus Illinois: COVID-19 testing site opens in Markham

MARKHAM, Ill. (WLS) -- A new coronavirus testing site has opened in south suburban Markham Tuesday morning.

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The new testing site is located at 3824 West 159th Place. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

"This is this is a day of hope, where there are people in our community that wanted to get tested," said Markham media director Michael Taylor.

Tests are available for anyone 65 or older or anyone over the age of 17 who has pre-existing medical conditions. It's also open to all first responders and health care workers of any age with symptoms.

"We're excited about this site which is one of the furthest south sites in the Chicagoland area," said Major A. J. Ruggieri with the Illinois National Guard.

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Governor JB Pritzker activated more Illinois National Guard soldiers and airmen from throughout the state to help support the effort.

"Here we have approximately 70 soldiers that are in there doing everything from logistical type jobs to medical technicians and doctors who are also over watching the testing administration," Major Ruggieri said.

The opening of the new site comes after Governor Pritzker said he wants to ramp up testing for COVID-19 in African American communities. Oprah is speaking out about it, hoping to bring awareness to the issue.

"Our responsibility is that if you're a black American, you need to know that you if have that pre-existing conditions that everybody's been talking about means that if you have diabetes, you have hypertension, You have heart disease, you use an inhaler, You have asthma," Oprah said.