COVID-19 Testing Site Opens In Washington County

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — Minnesota opened a new COVID-19 community testing site Thursday in Cottage Grove, as it pushes to increase testing capacity amid a surge in new cases.

The free testing site is at the National Guard Armory, 8180 Belden Boulevard, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Monday each week. It will be able to test up to 1,000 people per day, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The state also recently opened new COVID-19 community testing sites in Anoka and Inver Grove Heights, while expanding testing capacity at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul by 50 percent.

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Gov. Tim Walz said the state is launching new sites and working to expand its capacity because “Minnesotans deserve access to COVID-19 testing.”

“As we confront the highly contagious Omicron variant, we’re working to make sure testing is as accessible as possible,” Walz said in a news release. “Getting tested is a critical tool in our fight against COVID-19.”

Appointments are recommended at all Minnesota-run community testing sites, but walk-ins are accepted.

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Click here to search for in-person testing sites near you.

The Minnesota Department of Health is also offering residents free, at-home coronavirus tests through its partnership with Vault Health Services.

Saliva-based tests can be ordered by any resident, regardless of whether they have symptoms or insurance. Test kits include polymerase chain reaction tests, which are the most accurate for detecting the coronavirus, according to Minnesota health officials.

Completed tests can be mailed to testing labs in Minnesota and New Jersey, with results typically ready 24-48 hours after reaching the lab.

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Vault's test kits are approved for use by adults and children, though they may not work well for children under 4, officials said.

All costs for the test kits are covered by insurance or the government. Residents with insurance will be asked to provide their information so the insurance company can cover the test, but the state will cover costs for those who do not have insurance, officials said.

Click here to order a free, at-home coronavirus test from Vault Health Services and the Minnesota Department of Health.