YOUNGSTOWN — The rules for who can be tested for COVID-19 will be expanded when it takes place 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Covelli Centre, allowing anyone with symptoms to be tested — or anyone who has had direct exposure to the virus.

Lena Esmail, CEO of the testing company Quick Med Urgent Care, announced Thursday outside the Covelli Centre, 229 E. Front St., that her company had more strict restrictions on who could be tested in the past. However, because of more access to testing, her company has lifted some restrictions on the testing criteria.

“We are going to be testing anyone who has any symptoms that may be upper respiratory-related or COVID-related, or any exposure to COVID,” she said.

It is unfortunate that there is not a lot of mass testing being done on those with low symptoms or no symptoms, Esmail said, because “those are the people that are most likely to spread the virus. So we are going to be expanding our testing to those who have had exposure, not only to those who have symptoms.”

She said her company also “will be a little more lax on those who have symptoms to allow everybody who needs testing to have access to testing.”

Esmail said Quick Med has tested 15,000 people, but fewer people have been turning out for the drive-thru testings. She thinks that is because people are not taking the virus as seriously as before and mistakenly believe it is “behind us.”

“Unfortunately that is not the case. Coronavirus is still a very big problem. It’s still a very dangerous one,” she said.

She and Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said the testing, which is being done in conjunction with the city, will be done in ways that will make it easier for low-income people to be tested.

For example, the Western Reserve Transit Authority will provide free rides to get there, and officials will work to help people get tested even if they don’t have insurance, Brown said.

“The most vulnerable (to the virus) are in the city of Youngstown — African-Americans, minorities. We wanted to make sure that we remove all barriers to them actually coming and getting a test,” he said. The testing is open to everyone.

Youngstown Health Commissioner Erin Bishop said the Covelli location is ideal because many people live nearby who don’t have transportation. This will be the first time Quick Med has implemented walk-up testing, in addition to drive-thru testing, Bishop said.

Pre-registration is required at www.quickmed-uc.com or by calling 724-734-5235 or 330-759-0085. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Friday and closes at noon next Thursday.

Pre-registered patients will need to enter through the center’s main driveway off East Front Street, remain in their vehicles, and follow traffic control cones and police officers.

Also, patients who walk to the facility can enter through its main plaza and stand in line near the VIP entrance and main driveway turnaround. Police will direct traffic flow in to the center.

The Mahoning County commissioners approved a resolution at their meeting Thursday to contribute $5,000 to the Youngstown Health Department to assist with the testing.