Minnesota Surpasses 1 Million Community Coronavirus Tests

More than a million coronavirus tests have been administered through Minnesota's community testing sites.

Gov. Tim Walz announced the milestone in a press release. The state has over 20 testing sites that offer no-barrier access to testing.

Minnesota has conducted over 6.4 million tests since the start of the pandemic, many of which were conducted through private health care systems, long-term care facilities, and other settings. The community testing sites offer testing to any person who believes they need a COVID-19 test, with or without insurance. This week’s milestone marks 1 million tests through those community testing sites.

“I am grateful for the strong partnerships with community leadership, local public health officials, health care systems, and many others that made this milestone possible,” Walz said in a press release. “Access to COVID-19 testing has been critical to moving Minnesota forward during this pandemic. And thanks to our community partnerships and comprehensive testing strategy, we're leading the nation in eliminating barriers to COVID testing.”

Dan Huff, the Minnesota Department of Health's assistant commissioner for health protection, said that this milestone is a reminder of the importance of testing.

“Testing has been a vital part of our response to the pandemic all along, and it remains one of our most powerful tools to beating this virus,” Huff said. “Even as we see progress in vaccination efforts, we must remain vigilant and follow the safety guidelines of masking, social distancing, staying at home if sick, and getting tested.”

According to the press release, residents have several ways in which they can access no-barrier testing. These include more than 20 community testing sites, a mail-order at-home test program and clinics and hospitals across the state. Tests don't cost anything to those getting the test, but residents are asked to provide their insurance information so the state can seek reimbursement from insurance companies.

Health official recommend regular testing bi-weekly or monthly testing for those in K-12 schools, colleges and trade schools, young athletes and those involved in extracurricular activities. That's in addition to people who have coronavirus symptoms, those who have contact with someone who contracted the virus and those interacting with people outside of their household.

“As Minnesotans across the state continue returning to the classroom, youth sports, and other activities, we need people to continue seeking out testing so we can identify cases early and help those who have COVID-19 know what actions they can to take to avoid spreading the virus to others in their community,” Huff said. “The importance of that testing is reflected in our updated testing recommendations, which urge young people ages 12-25 to seek out regular testing. Regular testing of our young people helps protect their families and friends who may be at higher risk for severe disease and it gives our schools the best chance to succeed.”

You can find a COVID-19 community testing site in Minnesota. You can also find out more about who should get tested.