By Letty Fernandez

• New drive-thru testing site to open in Cameron County 
• Pop-up vaccine clinic set for Saturday at men’s basketball game 
• University urges UTRGV community to get vaccinated or boosted before going back to campus Jan. 31 

 
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – This Saturday, UT Health RGV, clinical arm of the UTRGV School of Medicine, will host a COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinic at the men’s basketball game against New Mexico State, from 5-7:30 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg Campus. 

UTRGV students, faculty, staff and the general public can go to the pop-up site to get their first or second doses – or their booster – of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. 

“This is our way of keeping our UTRGV family safe, as well as the community we love so dearly,” said Dr. Linda Nelson, Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP), RN, pediatric nurse practitioner and senior director of Clinical Operations for the UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV.  

“We encourage you to get vaccinated, as it really could save lives,” she said. 

Anyone 5 years of age and older can get a COVID vaccine. Anyone 5 to 17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. 

Those planning to get the vaccine at the Fieldhouse on Saturday should bring any previous COVID-19 vaccination cards.  

NEW COVID-19 TESTING SITE IN HARLINGEN TWICE A WEEK; 
EDINBURG SITE OPEN THREE DAYS A WEEK 

UT Health RGV will continue its drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Edinburg next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Drive-thru tests will be available, by appointment, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UTRGV CESS Building, 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Drive and Expressway frontage.  

Starting Tuesday, Jan. 11, UT Health RGV will open a second COVID-19 testing site, this one in Harlingen at the VA Outpatient Clinic, located near the UTRGV Clinical Education Building at 2106 Treasure Hills Blvd. The testing site will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment. 

To make an appointment, call the UT Health RGV COVID-19 line at (833) 888-2268, or register on the patient portal at
uthealthrgv.org/health-care-news/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/.  

Both drive-thru sites will be open to employees, students and the public for COVID-19 testing by appointment for those 5 years of age or older. Children 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  

For children 4 and younger, parents should call their doctor’s office, or contact the UT Health RGV Pediatric Specialty at (956) 296-1960 0r (833) 888-2268, for a COVID-19 pediatric testing appointment.  

Results of the COVID test will be available within 24 to 48 hours and will be posted in the Athena patient portal.  

Individuals should arrive at the drive-thru sites with a photo ID and a copy of their appointment confirmation email.   

Those with insurance are asked to check their COVID-19 benefits. Uninsured patients will go through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program.  

WHERE CAN I GET THE VACCINE?  

UT Health RGV continues to work with federal, state and local authorities to administer FDA-authorized and approved vaccines. People ages 5 and older can get a COVID-19 vaccine at one of 14 UT Health RGV Primary Care locations across the Valley.  

According to the CDC, “People with known current SARS-CoV-2 infection should defer vaccination at least until recovery from the acute illness (if symptoms were present) has been achieved and criteria to discontinue isolation have been met.”  

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unclear about whether or when you should get the vaccine, please consult your physician or other medical professional.  

For additional questions about symptoms, prescriptions and UTRGV COVID-19 drive-thru appointment times, visit the website.