COVID-19 Testing, Vaccinations to Continue at River’s Edge Convention Center Through August

(KNSI) – As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to go up and new infections stay on the decline, Minnesotans are seeking out COVID-19 testing less often. While the state of Minnesota is closing three of its community testing sites in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington this week following a drop in demand, St. Cloud area residents will still have a COVID testing and vaccination option at the River’s Edge Convention Center through the rest of the summer.

River’s Edge facility manager Bill Dunsmoor says COVID-19 testing and vaccinations will continue at the convention center until the end of August.

“That coincides when our event activity will greatly pick up with our busy fall schedule,” he said. “It’s kind of twofold: demand has been decreasing, and then our activity level will greatly pick up this fall.”

Dunsmoor says he has noticed a decrease in traffic through the testing site recently.

“The numbers of people coming through for testing has slowed down considerably since the early stages,” he said.

The convention center in downtown St. Cloud has played host for COVID testing since October 2020, and the state began doling out vaccine doses there in early 2021. No-cost testing is available Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and free COVID vaccinations are offered on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Both services are offered by appointment or on a walk-in basis.

“We’re grateful that we’re able to provide this service to the community, and we’re looking forward to getting back in the convention business full-swing come fall,” Dunsmoor said.

Since the state of Minnesota runs the community testing and vaccination operations, Dunsmoor says those services will be suspended on July 1st if the state enters a government shutdown. If that happens, testing and vaccinations at River’s Edge (and other state-run sites) would be paused until lawmakers pass the state’s next two-year budget in full.

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