COVID-19

Information for:

COVID-19 Community Testing

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works in partnership with communities to provide safe and free on-site COVID-19 testing in areas with outbreaks, increasing cases, or other barriers to access existing test sites.

Check this page to stay up to date on locations and dates for new community testing sites. To get regular COVID-19 email updates, including announcements of new community testing events, Subscribe to COVID-19 Updates.

We strongly encourage you to sign up for an appointment using the registration link listed with each location.

Signing up ahead of time helps avoid long lines. People who walk in without an appointment might have to come back later or another day.
If you are not able to sign up online, or need an interpreter, call 1-855-612-0677 for assistance.

Upcoming events

Thursday, September 24
12 - 6 p.m.
Pine City Armory
1305 Main St
Pine City, MN 55063
Pine City Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Thursday, September 24
12 - 6 p.m.
Waseca County Fairgrounds
4-H building #6
409 8th Ave NE
Waseca, MN 56093
Waseca Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Thursday, September 24
Friday, September 25
2 - 6 p.m.
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
451 Central Ave W
St. Paul, MN 55103
Mt Olivet Baptist Church Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 6 p.m.
Bemidji Armory
1430 23rd Street NW 56601
Bemidji, MN
Bemidji Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 6 p.m.
Normandale Community College - parking ramp
9700 France Ave S
Bloomington, MN 55431
Bloomington Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 7 p.m.
Aldrich Arena
1850 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109
Ramsey County Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 6 p.m.
Red Baron Ice Arena
1651 Victory Dr
Marshall, MN 56258
Marshall Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 6 p.m.
Moorhead Armory
1002 15th Avenue N
Moorhead, MN 56560
Moorhead Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Tuesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 30
Thursday, October 1
12 - 6 p.m.
Huck Olson Civic Center
501 Brooks Ave
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Thief River Falls Community COVID-19 Testing: Schedule Appointment

Who can get tested

Testing is free, and you do not need insurance or identification.
You can get tested even if you don't have symptoms of COVID-19. For example, if you think you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 or if you got a call from the health department telling you that you may have been exposed.
Community testing is designed to serve the local community. If you live farther away, we encourage you to get tested at your local clinic. For help finding a nearby location, see Find Testing Locations.

What to bring

Wear a mask or face covering if you can.
Bring your confirmation text or email if you can.
You do not need to show identification or insurance information.

What to expect at the event

If you signed up for an appointment online or by phone, staff will ask to see your confirmation text or email, or you can tell them your name, birthdate, and address.
If you did not sign up for an appointment ahead of time, a greeter will register you when you get to the event. You will need to provide your name and contact information. This information is given to staff to contact you with your test results.
Please arrive at the site close to the time of your scheduled visit. Staff will check you in when you arrive and tell you where to go. Testing sites are designed to ensure social distancing and proper cleaning to keep you safe.
A health care worker will gently insert what looks like a long Q-tip into your nose and swirl it for a few seconds in order to get a good sample. It will then be removed and put in a vial to be sent to a lab for testing.

What to Expect: Getting a nasal swab at a testing event

We are using the nasal swab method shown in the video at all our community testing events. Tests done at another event or facility may be different.

After you are tested

Follow these instructions: What to Do While You Wait for a COVID-19 Test Result (PDF)
You should get your results back in 2-3 days. Sometimes there are laboratory delays. If you don’t get your results, call 1-855-612-0677 for assistance.
If your test is negative: You will receive a text and/or email notifying you that you can access your results online. If you do not have access to the internet, there will be a number you can call for your results.
If your test is positive: You will receive a phone call from the nurse triage line. Please make sure to answer your phone.
The results of your test are not shared with anyone outside of your public health department. We do not share your information with other government agencies, employers, or health care providers.

If your test is positive

If you test positive for COVID-19, you will be notified by a nurse. After you are notified, the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 response team will call you to provide you and your household members important information for your recovery. It is important to answer the call.

On the call, you will talk about:

Your test results and what they mean.
A household plan to help keep others from getting sick, and to make sure you have what you need. This includes information on how to separate yourself from others (isolate) and what other people in your household should do, including staying home (quarantine). We will provide additional support for your household, resources permitting, for food, masks, hand sanitizer, and other items that might be of help for this estimated two-week period you will need to stay home.
Any people you spent time close to (sometimes called "close contacts") starting two days before you were tested or when you started feeling sick. These people could have been exposed to the virus. The health department will call these people with instructions. Your name will not be mentioned. Learn more about Tracing COVID-19.