ROSEBURG, Ore. -- Douglas County officials have purchased a mobile medical unit to help more people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the turn of a key, county officials said the 45-foot, 35,000-pound white van will provide health care services anywhere in Douglas County.

“As testing and vaccines become more of a need in some of our more remote and rural parts of the county, we needed a way to reach them,” said commissioner Tim Freeman.

Freeman said the mobile unit arrived last week after purchasing it from a vendor in Ohio. He said they paid for it with money they received from the federal CARES Act.

The unit has two built-in exam rooms, a reception area, ADA wheelchair lift and medical supplies.

“There’s a nationwide and worldwide need for these types of vehicles,” he said. “So it’s great that we’re able to secure (it) and get them here in time for the distribution of vaccines.”

Now that the unit has been secured, Freeman said they’ve turned the project over to Aviva Health. He said they will be responsible for staffing it, supplying it and deploying it if needed.

“This kind of outreach is right in our wheelhouse,” said Mark Tsuchiya, marking and development director at Aviva Health. “It’s our mission to identify areas in the county where people lack access to care.”

Starting Tuesday, Tsuchiya said they will use the unit for a Cough and Fever Clinic that focuses on COVID-19 screenings, testing and eventually vaccinations.

Once the pandemic is over, Tsuchiya said they will use the mobile unit for more traditional health care needs, such as general check-ups or flu vaccine clinics.

Tsuchiya said the county expects to get another unit by the end of the month.