Health department in Hancock to offer drive‐up COVID-19 testing - UpperMichigansSource.com

HANCOCK, Mich. (WLUC) – Western UP Health Department (WUPHD) will begin offering driveâup COVID-19 testing services at their Hancock office location on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Testing is available by appointment weekday mornings, between 8:30 a.m. â 11:30 a.m. Specimens collected at the driveâup site will be processed within the newly constructed Western UP Regional Public Health Laboratory, located within the Health Departmentâs main office. Results are typically available within 24 to 48 hours.

The laboratory provides diagnostic COVID-19 testing via Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Methods, or (NAATs). The NAAT procedure works by first amplifying â or making many copies of â the virusâs genetic material, if any is present in a personâs specimen. Amplifying those nucleic acids enables NAATs to detect very small amounts of SARSâCoVâ2 RNA in a specimen, making these tests highly sensitive for diagnosing COVIDâ19. The laboratory does not perform rapid testing.

Patients seeking testing for diagnostic purposes should not have any out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 testing. If you have health insurance, you must bring your card with you to the test site. If you do not have health insurance, you will be asked to provide other identifying information, such as social security number, and WUPHD will submit a claim to the Federal CARES Act Program for coverage. Individuals seeking COVID Testing for purposes other than diagnosis, such as travel, are asked to contact the lab directly to discuss testing methods, timing and fees.

The Western Upper Peninsula Regional Public Health Laboratory began operations in September 2021 to increase public health laboratory testing capacity in the State of Michigan. The lab provides highâcomplexity clinical testing to identify communicable diseases and lowâcost testing services to meet the public health needs of Upper Peninsula communities, WUPHD said in a press release.

To schedule an appointment for COVID-19 testing, visit westernuphealth.org or call 482â7382.