Minnesota Expanding COVID Testing in St. Cloud

(KNSI) – St. Cloud is among the communities where COVID-19 testing is expanding starting next week.

The St. Cloud Armory, 1710 Veterans Drive, has hosted COVID testing Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. since Minnesota closed the testing site at the River’s Edge Convention Center in August. Starting October 15, Fridays will be added to the schedule. The site offers free saliva testing to Minnesotans. People can also get a COVID test from their health care provider.

COVID Testing will also be expanded in Mankato, Winona and Moorhead.

According to the Governor’s office, each site will increase its weekly capacity by approximately 500 tests for a maximum weekly capacity of roughly 2,500 per site. Minnesota officials say demand for COVID-19 testing increased by roughly 10 percent from the prior week. Testing capacity through the state’s community testing site program will expand further as the state assesses current and projected testing needs.

The Minnesota Department of Health says testing is open to Minnesotans who believe they need a COVID-19 test, with or without insurance. Testing is free at all of the state’s community testing sites.

Participants that have health insurance will be asked for their insurance information so the state can bill their insurance company on their behalf. If a person is uninsured or if insurance does not cover some or all of the cost, the state will cover the difference, so testing remains at no cost.

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