Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Any Iowa resident can get free COVID-19 test
Public health officials are strongly urging Iowans to wear masks, clean their hands and sanitize frequently-touched surfaces.
Local residents fearing they've contracted COVID-19 have a fast new way to get tested.
Lakes Regional Healthcare and Dickinson County Emergency Management opened a drive-through Test Iowa clinic in Spirit Lake last week. It's open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds Expo Building, 1602 15th St., Spirit Lake.
All Iowa residents are able to receive a COVID-19 test for free, regardless of symptoms or potential exposure to the virus. To get a test, visit testiowa.com and complete the online assessment. An email will then be sent from Test Iowa that includes a bar code. Print it or screenshot it, then take it to the drive-through Spirit Lake site. Officials say test results will be emailed to you within 48 to 72 hours.
Test Iowa is a partnership with state leaders and private corporations. The goal is to dramatically increase access and the rate of COVID-19 testing so Iowans can help stem the spread of the virus, in turn getting the state back to normal as quickly as possible.
COVID-19 infections continue to rise across northwest Iowa. As of Wednesday, O'Brien County had recorded 74 cases since March, while Clay County tallied 110. Dickinson County was at 212, Osceola had 49 and Sioux totaled 423.
Individuals who've recovered from COVID-19 include: O'Brien County, 39; Clay County, 54; Dickinson County, 87; Osceola County, 45; and Sioux County, 201.
Public health officials encourage Iowans to practice social distancing and wear a mask when those guidelines cannot be followed.
