(Mareea Thomas/WNIN)
Any Monroe County resident or person who works in the county can get a COVID-19 test at the local OptumServe testing site.
The site is at the National Guard Armory, 3380 S. Walnut St.
There’s one key thing testing site administrator Jacque Bell wants you to know: You will not be undergoing the nasopharyngeal test, which one of our readers referred to as “disturbingly intrusive” and another called “the reviled nasal swab.” That one uses a six-inch nasal swab; this one involves a one-inch soft swab going into the lower nostril.
“It’s more tickle than anything else,” Bell said. “And that’s one of the things; with people coming in they’re very nervous and agitated and I’m like, ‘don’t worry it’s not what you expect.’ It’s the size of a Q-Tip and we’re just going to tickle your nose, that’s it.”
The state has contracted with OptumServe to do testing throughout Indiana.
In Monroe County, it’s best to call or go online to make a reservation, and you will be scheduled about a week out. But if you feel the need to be tested sooner, you can be, but it is still best to be registered before you walk-in at the testing site.
“Anybody who resides or works in Monroe County can get tested … you do not have to show symptoms at all to get tested,” said Bell. “It’s just important to get registered and then we can perform the test.”
READ MORE: Here's Where You Can Get Tested For COVID-19 In Monroe County
Bell said the test takes 10 to 15 minutes and results will be available in about 72 hours. These are positive and negative tests for the virus and not the antibody test to see if you’ve ever been exposed to the virus.
Bell also insisted those who want to be tested should not be concerned about being exposed to the virus at the testing site.
“Precautions we take on our site are severe,” he said. “It’s a contactless experience all the way through. The only thing that comes in contact with you is the Q-Tip that is used.”
He said about 500 tests are done at the site each week, up from 200 right after it opened. The increase in tests has led to an increase in positive cases. But local and state health experts expected that rise and say the raw number is not the most important one to evaluate.
Shandy Dearth is an epidemiologist and educator at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI.
“The percent of positive is the important thing here because the ability to get tested has greatly improved,” she said. “So, we’re going to find more cases the more we test.” With contact tracing, that will lead to tracking down other people who have been exposed and testing them, too.
“But what we’re not seeing is the percent positive increase and that’s great,” she said. “So, the states that are starting to close things again, that is the number they are using and that’s what’s driving them to shut down again.
Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill, who along with Dearth and Bell were interviewed on WFIU’s Noon Edition, said the percent of positives in Monroe County is about 3.3 percent and has consistently been coming down.
“It’s been holding steady and that is certainly good news for us,” she said. “We would expect with an increase of testing in town and that will come from a variety of sources we will likely find more cases, but I think it’s been proportional.”
She said if percent of positives do start to rise, local officials would consider taking action to limit person-to-person contact. She said Monroe County will continue to try to follow Gov. Eric Holcomb’s executive orders but also continue to exercise the option of imposing stricter rules than the state if local officials believe data warrants it.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here.
