Utah extends free COVID testing, even for those without symptoms
Jun 21, 2020, 12:55 PM | Updated: 1:00 pm
FILE: Workers at ARUP Laboratories, where COVID-19 testing takes place. Salt Lake County Health Department announced it would be extending free COVID-19 testing, even for those not experiencing symptoms. (Credit: ARUP)
(Credit: ARUP)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Salt Lake County Health Department announced it will continue its free COVID-19 testing through June 28, even for Utahns who aren’t experiencing symptoms. This comes after a weekend of new spikes in Utah, hitting record numbers with 643 confirmed cases Saturday.
Case numbers decreased Sunday, with 394 new cases. As of Sunday, Utah has a total of 17,462 confirmed cases and a total of 158 deaths — which is three more from Saturday.
The health department tweeted out the locations where free testing will be provided, noting that virus tracing is crucial to stop transmission.
All are welcome for free, fast #COVID19 testing—whether ill or not—this week and next at several #SLCo locations. Testing is key to tracing and stopping transmission of the virus in our community. #TestTraceIsolate pic.twitter.com/xQRCLKjhzq
— Salt Lake Health (@SaltLakeHealth) June 19, 2020
Testing will be provided every day from Monday to Sunday with varying times. Here’s a list of the times and locations:
- Monday: Glendale Site 1 (CHC) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday: Rose Park (CHC) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday: Glendale Site 1 (CHC) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday: Rose Park (CHC) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday: Glendale Site 2 (CHC) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday: West Valley Site 1 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday: Redwood Drive-In from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Specific addresses for the locations can be found on the Salt Lake County Health Department’s website or on its Twitter page.
The health department confirmed in a tweet the tests will detect whether someone is infected even if they’re asymptomatic. However, testing sites will only confirm whether someone is currently infected — the tests won’t double as anti-body tests.
Depending on how many people attend COVID testing sites, wait times can be anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours long. Testing can either be conducted via drive-through or walk-through at each site.
Updated numbers Sunday show Utah reporting 9,569 recovered cases — meaning the diagnosis date was more than three weeks ago who has not passed away, according to the Utah Department of Health.
