---
id: "coronavirus-smarter-crowdsourcing:strategies/Reduce-barriers-to-testing-by-conducting-mobile-te"
type: "GovLab policy strategy"
title: "Reduce barriers to testing by conducting mobile testing units."
url: "https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/reduce-barriers-to-testing-by-conducting-mobile-te"
summary: "Reduce barriers to testing by conducting mobile testing units. To address transportation limitations,non-traditional work schedules,and lack of access that may keep some communities from getting tested,governments should strategically implement mobile testing units that travel to vulnerable communities."
source: "The GovLab (coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org)"
licence: "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)"
---

# Reduce barriers to testing by conducting mobile testing units.

Reduce barriers to testing by conducting mobile testing units. To address transportation limitations,non-traditional work schedules,and lack of access that may keep some communities from getting tested,governments should strategically implement mobile testing units that travel to vulnerable communities.

- Timeframe: 3-6 Months (medium)
- Audience: Civil Society, Vulnerable Populations, Healthcare Providers, Organized Civil Society, Nonprofits
- Type: Technology/Innovation, Vulnerable Populations, Procurement/Logistics
- Recommendation: [High-risk populations](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations/high-risk-populations)
- Part of: [Smarter Crowdsourcing in the Age of Coronavirus](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/)

## Actions governments should take

1. Direct mobile testing sites to locations where high-risk populations are likely to congregate
2. Operate testing sites during specific times when populations that work non-traditional hours may have more availability, such as mornings, nights, or weekends
3. Ensure testing site design accommodates populations that may have accessibility needs including language or physical disabilities

## Examples from around the world

1. [Seattle](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/us/coronavirus-testing-drive-through-seattle.html), [Chicago](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/health_protection_and_response/news/2020/june/mayor-lori-lightfoot-announces-covid-19-mobile-testing-pilot-pro.html), the state of [Wisconsin](https://www.wisbusiness.com/2020/wisconsin-national-guard-conducting-mobile-testing-at-sites-around-the-state/), and other local and state governments have set up mobile testing centers to safely collect samples from healthcare workers and other high-risk or vulnerable populations.