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State offers free mail-in saliva test in pilot program

Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson

Rock County residents have one more option to do their part in slowing the pandemic thanks to a pilot program for at-home saliva testing.
Through a mail order program, residents can order a saliva test online to be shipped to their home.
The point, according to public health’s Jason Kloss, is to find and quarantine positive cases in order to slow the spread of the virus.
“We know that there are people who are in our communities who may be asymptomatic or who have very mild symptoms,” said Kloss, environmental health manager at Southwest Health and Human Services.
“Some may not have access to testing or are choosing to not get tested. This means that they may be unknowingly spreading the virus to others.”
He said the free saliva testing program provides better access for people that need or want a COVID test.
Residents who order the at-home test spit into a small tube under the supervision of a health care professional through a video telehealth visit.
Once completed, the test is shipped to the state’s new saliva lab in Oakdale, Minnesota, where results are then emailed to the person in 24-48 hours.
The tests are free of charge to any Minnesotans who believe they need to be tested. It will soon be available to Minnesotans in all counties.
Kloss said he hopes residents take advantage of the free saliva tests.
“I realize that community testing may result in an increase in numbers in the short term,” he said.
“But I believe it will help reduce the spread in the long run if people who are positive have that knowledge and they (and their close contacts) can isolate/quarantine.”
 
Schools faring well, despite community spread
He said he hopes residents won’t decline the free test for fear of increasing local case rates and prompting schools to switch to online learning.
School officials, in fact, base learning models on information from contact tracing. If new cases have no connection or only a remote connection to students in the district, in-person learning continues.
“I would like to commend our schools for the job they’re doing to minimize the spread of COVID on their campuses,” Kloss said.
“Rock County currently has a high case rate, but we are not seeing COVID transmission in the school environment.  As a result, the schools have remained in a hybrid learning model.”
That, of course, could change, but so far school leaders have taken the stance that students are safer in the controlled school environment than they would be without.
The free in-home saliva testing is being tested on roughly two-dozen Minnesota counties, mostly in sparsely populated areas.
“This is a welcome addition to our comprehensive approach to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Carol Biren, public health director for Southwest Health and Human Services, which includes Rock and Lyon counties.
“We know this continues to be difficult and many are eager for better days ahead. But we must remain diligent in this.”
He said that means social distancing, washing hands, avoiding large gatherings, masking, staying home when sick, and getting tested after contact with someone who’s tested positive or who has symptoms.
 
Here’s how to participate
To have a test kit mailed, residents go to the MDH website at https://testathome.web.health.state.mn.us.
Participants will be asked for their health insurance information so the state can bill their insurance company on their behalf.
If a person is uninsured or for any reason insurance does not cover some or all of the cost, the state will cover the difference so testing remains completely free to everyone.
For more information on the COVID-19 Test at Home program, and to order a test, please visit COVID-19 Test at Home.
Information learned from the pilot program will be applied to a broader program that will eventually be available to all Minnesotans.
Minnesota currently has four saliva testing sites open, in Duluth, Winona, Moorhead, and Brooklyn Park, with Mankato scheduled to open Friday and up to five more to follow in coming weeks.

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