“I think it’s going to be a historical moment and we’re excited to start this for sure,” she said.
The recent Bemidji State University grad started working for the county in March, meaning Adams’ only experience thus far in the public health field occurred in the midst of the greatest public health challenge this nation has experienced in a century. Much of that work involved contact tracing efforts for those who’ve tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus.
“It felt good to be able to educate the community, you know, answer their questions, and just teach them more about COVID,” she said. “It felt like a big step. Small, big steps.”
Rick Aulie checks in for his appointment to administer a self-test for COVID-19 Thursday, Dec. 17, in the gymnasium at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. Chelsey Perkins / Brainerd Dispatch
Tables are spread throughout the gym with traffic lanes established with fluorescent tape. A National Guardsman checks in those who made appointments. From there, people proceed to another table where they’re given a swab and instructions from a public health nurse.
How does one self-administer a nasal swab test? It does not require the swab to go any higher than an inch into the nasal cavity. Two swirls in each nostril over the course of three seconds, and there’s enough of a sample to determine whether someone’s been infected with COVID-19.
Pop-up site will offer swab testing to everyone, as part of a collaboration with federal government
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Brainerd Dispatch | ×
A new COVID-19 testing site has been announced at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, part of a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Minnesota Department of Health announced Sunday.
Testing at this site will occur Thursday, Dec. 17 through Saturday, Dec. 19 in the gymnasium at CLC, 501 W College Drive in Brainerd. Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday.
The site will be set up as a walk-thru, with participants self-administering a nasal swab test. The site has capacity for approximately 480 tests per day. Appointments are strongly encouraged, but not required.