The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) is hosting two free mass testing events this week in partnership with the North Dakota National Guard, local public health units and local community leaders.
The Grand Forks testing event is taking place from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at the Alerus Center, and the Bismarck event is taking place from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, in the northwest corner of the State Capitol parking lot. Both events are open to the public and the testing is free to participants. Interested individuals can fill out the online survey at testreg.nd.gov for faster registration.
“We know that up to 30% of individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic,” said Kirby Kruger, director of disease control for the NDDoH. “Testing is one of the best ways to identify positive cases early so we can immediately investigate and notify friends and family who are close contacts.”
In addition to the two large testing events, several local public health units across North Dakota are also hosting free testing for community members. A list of testing events can be found at health.nd.gov/covidtesting.
It may take 24-72 hours to receive a positive test result and up to 72 hours to receive a negative test result. After a positive test result, a public health professional will contact the individual to inform them they should isolate and then a COVID-19 caseworker will follow up to provide additional instructions and start the process of contact tracing. Individuals should limit unnecessary outings until they receive their test results.
North Dakotans should continue to follow #NDSmart guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19, including staying home when sick or named as a close contact, staying six feet apart, avoiding large gatherings, washing your hands often, avoiding touching your face, wearing a mask and continuing to clean frequently touched surfaces.
For more information on COVID-19, visit health.nd.gov/coronavirus.