Starting on Jan. 13, the downtown Pflugerville COVID-19 testing site will be changed to appointment only, according to a Jan. 12 Austin Public Health press release.

The site located at 103 N. Railroad Ave., Pflugerville, was previously a walk-up location. According to APH, the decision to make the site appointment only is to help manage the increased demand for testing by reducing wait times.

Currently, the majority of APH’s test sites across the county are under the preregistration system. As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase alongside the demand for testing, preregistration helps the testing staff manage the demand and curbs long lines to allow for social distancing.

The downtown Pflugerville testing site is managed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, APH and the city of Pflugerville. The site operates Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-6 p.m. Testing is free.

Anyone wanting to make a reservation at the Pflugerville site can do so here. Those without internet access can call 833-213-0643. Travis County is currently under the highest COVID-19 community risk level, Stage 5, as ordered by the Travis County Judge Andy Brown on Dec. 23.

According to APH’s website, under the Stage 5 recommendations, all Travis County residents should avoid gatherings outside of their household and avoid dining or shopping unless it is essential. Businesses should also scale back to contactless options, such as curbside or delivery for restaurants.