COVID-19: Should you get tested?

courtesy of Dakota County Public Health Department  - 5/11/20

As testing capabilities increase in Minnesota, and across the county, it’s important to know if, where and how you should get tested for COVID-19.

Who should get tested

The state offers an easy-to-use online testing tool to help determine if you should be tested.

Where to get tested

To find a COVID-19 testing location near you, use this interactive map that shows coronavirus clinics in your area. Testing sites are designed to keep you and health care workers safe. Sometimes you may stay in your car. Other sites will screen you before you go indoors. Many sites will require an appointment before you arrive to ensure they’ve collected your contact and insurance information.

Know before you go

The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act requires that COVID-19 testing is provided at no cost to the patient. This applies to all health insurance coverage in Minnesota. It is important to know that this applies to the test only. Office visits are not covered through the CARES Act. Some insurance carriers have agreed to waive copays and deductibles for in-network visits associated with the COVID-19 test.

Check with your health insurance to find out what will be covered and what is in network. If you have questions, call your insurance company prior to getting tested. If you don't have a doctor or health care provider, or are uninsured, contact a federally qualified Community Health Center.

Waiting for test results

If you or a loved one gets tested, results will come from the testing clinic or provider. Test results generally take 3–7 days. If you have a fever and/or cough, shortness of breath or other symptoms while waiting for results, you should stay home and away from others as much as possible. 
Family members and close contacts of people who have tested positive should limit their activities in public for 14 days and monitor for symptoms. Someone from the Minnesota Department of Health or the county where you live will call you if you’ve tested positive.

Resources for Underserved Communities

Low Income Energy Assistance Program Information shared by the U of MN Extension's Sustainable partnership. If you have any questions please contact Joel Haskar at haska004@umn.ed.

Since Covid-19, there have been some big changes in the federal Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that helps people pay their energy bills or get a broken furnace repaired/replaced:

• The application deadline has been extended to July 1
• Income eligibility is based on the last month only (not a whole year) -- this to help the newly unemployed
• The annual crisis maximum has increased to $1200 instead of $600

You will also see in the eap-flier-english that there has been special attention paid to make sure people feel safe about applying regarding citizenship status. Translations in Hmong, Spanish & Somali available.

Sometimes LIHEAP runs out of money, but it sounds like more money has been pumped into the system AND getting signed up makes people eligible for some enhanced utility programming/ rebates and other CAP programming (Head Start etc.). Bottomline is we want people to sign up. 

Discrimination Helpline

Avoid stigma or showing prejudice to Minnesotans of Asian descent or assuming someone of Asian descent is more likely to have COVID-19. Witness or experience discrimination? Call the helpline at 1-833-454-0148.

Resources like the Minnesota Crisis Response Line (952-891-7171) and the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) are also available for those in need.