VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – City-County Health District announces a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing event Wednesday, July 8, from 2-6 p.m. This event is open to the public and will be held at the North Dakota Winter Show facility in Valley City. The goal is to test 500 people for the virus.
This public opportunity is a collaborative effort between the North Dakota Department of Health, North Dakota National Guard, CHI Mercy Health, and CCHD staff. There is no cost for the test and health insurance is not processed. Participants will not be asked to provide proof of residency.
Prior to the event, those who wish to participate are strongly encouraged to fill out the online screening form at www.testreg.nd.gov. Please note that at the end of the screening form you will see information about receiving a QR/email after registering. Registrants should disregard this information, said Katie Beyer, CCHD information specialist, and be assured that their information is in the system regardless of no feedback from the system.
The testing process takes approximately 15 minutes (wait time in line may be longer). Testing will be conducted by using an oral swab of the throat. Antibody testing that indicates if an individual has been positively exposed to the virus in the past will not be offered at this event, according to Theresa Will, administrator at CCHD.
Those participants testing positive will be notified by phone within 24-72 hours. Efforts will be made to contact those with a negative result within 3-5 days. It is important to double-check your phone number on the screening form, said Beyer, since this is the way you will receive your testing results.
“We hope many people will take advantage of this free COVID-19 testing opportunity,” said Will. “You don’t need to have qualifying symptoms to be tested at this event.”