INDIANAPOLIS (AP): Nearly 100 additional coronavirus testing sites are planned across Indiana by the end of this month, state officials announced Wednesday.
Health officials added 17 more coronavirus-related deaths to the state’s toll as updated statewide COVID-19 risk ratings listed most counties with minimal or moderate virus spread.
The state has awarded $30 million over the next two years from federal coronavirus funding to 76 county health departments for the new testing sites, said Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner. About three dozen sites will be open by the end of this week, with a total of 95 scheduled to be in operation by Oct. 1.
Box said the new sites are meant to provide testing in addition to the 39 testing locations operated by OptumServe under a state contract awarded in May.
The new sites should be conducting 100 to 200 free tests a day, Box said.
“Eventually, the goal will be to run (the testing costs) through insurance companies because a lot of people are insured, but we will not be turning away anyone that is uninsured or does not have the ability to pay for a test,” Box said.
