As COVID-19 cases continue to track at an alarming rate across the state and nation, and a vaccine remains on the horizon, health professionals continue to stress the need for testing.
If you’re interested in getting a COVID-19 saliva test, you can do so on both sides of the river. Saliva testing is offered every day at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, and at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
You can also take a test from home, which is one of the easiest ways to get tested. The aim of the mail-in tests is to keep folks at home as much as possible. The Vault Health testing kits are available at no cost to anyone with or without symptoms and with or without insurance. To order your kit, visit https://learn.vaulthealth.com/state-of-minnesota
The saliva test is just as accurate as the nasal swab test. It checks whether you have COVID-19 right now and can spread it to others. It is not an antibody test that looks for whether you have had COVID-19 in the past.
More details on saliva tests locations in the Twin Cities:
Free saliva testing in St. Paul:
Roy Wilkins Auditorium (next to Saint Paul RiverCentre), 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul
Monday – Friday: Noon to 7 pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm
Free saliva testing in Mpls:
Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
Monday – Friday: 9 am to 7 pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm
Free parking is available and marked in nearby surface lots and parking ramps. Enter on the west side of the building off 1st Avenue, then continue to Exhibit Hall E.
Nasal swab testing continues to be available at various community sites across the state. For more info, visit bit.ly/MNCOVIDtesting.
Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.