Governor Jared Polis said the state is opening a new front on the battle against COVID-19 Monday with two new drive-up testing sites in Aurora and Federal Heights.

On hand at Hyland Hills Water World to open the testing site there, Polis said fast testing will be the key to stopping the pandemic virus’ spread and returning Colorado to normal.

“We know that our success against this virus relies on information,” Polis said. “This is a war and intelligence is critical, knowing where the enemy is and if you are in danger. The sooner you know that, the quicker you can act to get treatment and to alert those around you that might have been exposed.”

The tests will be available at the Aurora Sports Complex, 19300 E. Colfax, and Hyland Hills Water World, 8801 N. Pecos St. Polis said another testing site would be announced later this week.

Adams County sponsors two other testing sites, at Westminster's MAC Recreation Center, 3295 W. 72nd Ave. and the former Adams County Human Services Building at 7190 Colorado Blvd., Commerce City. Testing at the MAC is available on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Aug. 27. Testing at the former human services building is available Fridays from 2-7 p.m through Aug. 28.

People that want to be tested should register at the testing website. A link to that registration page is located on Adams County’s website, adamscountycovid19.org/free-covid-19-testing-site-water-world. To register for the Aurora site, visit the Tri-County Health Department website www.tchd.org/AuroraTesting.

Both sites will operate daily from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., through September, with the possibility of an extension based on community needs. Up to 2,500 tests will be administered at both sites each day, and there is no cost to get tested. Visitors do not need an identification card, a social security number or insurance to get a test.

Nine testing lanes are set up in the Water World parking lot to accommodate the expected number of people.

The tests will be administered by MAKO Medical and results will be available in two to four days.

Polis said the new sites grew out of frustration with delays getting results from other testing sites.

“Much of the testing being done by the national labs was simply taking too long for Colorado residents, too long for our public health needs,” Polis said. “People were not hearing back for nine, ten days. I even heard one person had to wait for 12 days. So we wanted to do something to fix it.”

The new tests should return results within four days, and Polis said he hopes they can do them even faster.

“It is incredibly important that if we are going to defeat this virus, we need to find out where it is and act quickly, rather than letting it creep up on us in stealth mode,” he said.

Adams County Commission Chair Emma Pinter said the county learned about the possibility of having a major testing site in Adams County on July 29.

“In just 10 days, the Adams County team pulled together a cross-departmental working group to make sure we had this facility up and running and that we have everything and all the materials ready to go,” Pinter said.

The site will also cater to non-English speakers, with testing instructions in English, Spanish, Hmong and Farsi.

“The virus does not care what language you speak,” Polis said.