No one was turned away during the drive-thru testing clinic. Las Cruces is among one of the first cities in New Mexico to offer the tests to front-line workers regardless of symptoms. 

"By essential we're talking about everyone from the grocery store cashier, to law enforcement, to healthcare providers and so on," said David Morgan, spokesman for the New Mexico Department of health. 

Front-line reassurance 

Morgan said essential workers could get a test because they are the front line allowing business in Las Cruces to get done. 

"We would not be able to function without them. You can't stop the world and mean that you're going to stop law enforcement, or healthcare, or anybody to be there at the grocery store. These folks need to be able to have some reassurance that they are fine," he said.

That assurance for Chase Wood, and Mayteana Morales, who deliver pizzas for a living, is something both they and their families welcomed.

Wood said he was being tested at the behest of his girlfriend, while Morales said she was getting tested because she still comes in contact with family members who are at a high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. 

Coronavirus mitigation, Wood said, isn't as aggressive as it should be. 

"More precautions should have been taken countrywide, but there's not much we can do about that until voting starts," he said. Morales, who said she talked to someone Saturday who believes COVID-19 isn't real, said she feels like the pandemic isn't being taken seriously enough.  

"Since we have to take deliveries wearing masks and everything, sanitize everything as soon as we get back, it's a little frustrating (when people don't take it seriously)," she said. 

As of Sunday, New Mexico has recorded 1,845 positive COVID-19 test results out of 37,042 tests, Fifty-five people have died from COVID-19, 103 patients are currently hospitalized and 487 cases have been designated by the health department as recovered. 

Home healthcare workers Chantel Stoops and Randy Chornley got tested on Sunday because they care for a young boy who is medically fragile. 

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Stoops said. 

Local pastor and auto technician Ifraim Funes said he was getting tested Sunday, to ensure that his wife, congregation and coworkers at Borman Auto Complex were safe. 

"This is something that's going on that we have to take care of ourselves. I encourage the community to stay home, be safe, don't go out, and to obey the law," he said. 

A big math problem 

The number of COVID-19 testing kits are limited in the United States. Most people who get a test have symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or have traveled from a COVID-19 hotspot. 

On Sunday, Morgan said the Department of Health had 1,000 test kits just for essential workers

"This came together literally mid-afternoon on Friday, where we were able to get the clearance to do this drive-thru screening today," he said. 

Every day during the pandemic presents a large math problem, Morgan said. 

"We have to be able to figure out first where the testing is needed, what our testing capacity is for any given day, be able to make sure we have the supplies, and get the supplies to the right places," he said. 

Nonessential workers who have symptoms, and essential workers, can get tested at the New Mexico Department of Health located at 1170 North Solano Drive, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call NMDOH 575-528-5063, to schedule a drive-thru test. 

Drive-thru tests are also being scheduled Monday through Friday at Memorial Medical Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 2450 South Telshor Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 575-522-8641.

For information on testing, visit https://cv.nmhealth.org/

Bethany Freudenthal can be reached at bfreudenthal@lcsun-news.com, 575-541-5449 or @bethanyfreuden1 on Twitter.