Community snapshot testing, July 7

FREE COVID-19 testing for people with no symptoms will be held on July 7 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Lutheran Church parking lot in Ekalaka. Carter County Public Health, in coordination with Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association, will be hosting this drive-through COVID-19 Community snapshot testing.

While testing of individuals without symptoms offers only a brief snapshot in time and an individual and business remain susceptible to COVID-19 exposure at any point following a test, more frequent testing at the community level can help to identify the spread of the virus early and allow for appropriate mitigation, contact tracing and quarantine measures to avoid a massive community outbreak which can disrupt businesses now and into the future. This increase in testing will not only augment efforts to identify cases early and support COVID-19 response and mitigation measures, but it will also build a foundation that will better prepare businesses for the possible increased exposure that may occur in the future.

Although there continues to be no cases of COVID-19 in Carter County, everyone without symptoms is encouraged to attend and get tested. Montana has seen a significant increase in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 each day. As of Tuesday, there were 967 positive cases of COVID-19 in Montana, with 22 deaths. That makes 233 positive cases in just one week.

To prevent or slow transmission of the virus, please continue to practice social distancing when possible, wear a cloth face covering when it’s not, use hand sanitizer or wash hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, avoid large gatherings and stay home when ill. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, body aches and/or a new loss of taste or smell, contact your primary medical provider for evaluation.

St. Elizabeth Lutheran Church is located at 411 East Cleveland Street in Ekalaka. There will be a separate entrance and exit; please follow the signs when arriving at the testing area. Call Carter County Public Health at 406-775-6332 with questions concerning community snapshot testing.