Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced this week essential workers can now be tested for COVID-19 even without a doctor’s note. Berrien County Health Department spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News that’s mostly true here in our area. It depends on which testing site you want to visit.
“As it stands right now, you still need to have a doctor’s order to be tested at Spectrum Health Lakeland’s facility in St. Joseph,” Conrad said. “However, the other locations do not need a doctor’s order prior to testing. All of the locations do ask for a certain level of pre-screening to happen, as well as for an appointment to be made.”
The sites other than Spectrum Health Lakeland are Intercare in Benton Harbor, Right Aid in Bridgman, and Walmart in Benton Harbor. Conrad says the governor’s goal is to have 30,000 Michiganders tested for COVID each day.
“While we have not made it to that goal yet, we are well on our way with many testing sites available now as well as new mass testing events that are occurring across the state.”
Conrad does note testing capacity in Berrien County has greatly increased since the early days of the pandemic. Right now, the health department is looking closely at what percentage of the county’s tests come back positive as it considers how to make reopening recommendations. About 8 to 9% of the tests are positive as of right now. The Berrien County Health Department continues to urge everyone to social distance and wear face coverings when out in public.
