(The Center Square) – State-run COVID-19 testing facilities will now be open to anyone who wants to get tested, including those who don’t have symptoms.
“As we move forward, COVID-19 testing must be widely available and this is a step in that direction,” Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau said in a statement. “The state-operated Community-Based Testing Sites currently have the capacity to test more than 6,000 people per day, and now there will be no restrictions to who can be tested for this potentially deadly virus.”
No appointment, doctor referral, or insurance is needed at state-run drive-thru sites. The testing is free.
Illinois Department of Public Health officials recommend anyone who has participated in rallies or protests over the past week get tested, according to a news release from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
“As people gather in large crowds with varying degrees of social distancing, there is cause for concern about COVID-19 spread and outbreaks, especially if masks were not worn universally,” IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement. “I urge anyone who recently attended a rally, protest, or other mass gathering to get tested for COVID-19 so we can identify any cases early. We recommend testing 5-7 days after participating in large group rallies, or immediately if symptoms develop. If there are known cases, we can make sure those people are quarantined and not exposing other individuals.”
A list of testing sites is available on the IDPH website.
