Free COVID-19 testing at Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee

MT. PLEASANT - Free COVID-19 testing is now available at the Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee Pharmacy drive-thru.

The grocery store chain announced on Wednesday it had recently expanded testing to more than 150 locations through an eight-state region after first rolling out 11 testing sites in August, according to a news release from the company. Tests through the grocery store chain are coordinated by eTrueNorth.

Testing at the Mt. Pleasant location went live Sept. 29 and is available three days a week: Tuesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. through 9 a.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Each testing site can accommodate up to 12 patients per hour, the company noted in its statement.

Danielle Scott, pharmacy manager at the Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee Pharmacy, said the tests are conducted contact free and performed by the individual being tested. A person does not have to have symptoms of the virus to be tested but needs to make an appointment online to obtain a voucher.

'People just go through the drive-thru. We will not be doing the test for them but will help guide them through that process,” Scott said.

At the drive-thru, a patient will be provided a test kit, instructions on how to self-administer the test and will be supervised by a pharmacy employee. The testing process takes approximately five minutes.

The manager added that even though results are expected back in three to seven days, the pharmacy has typically been receiving results in one to two days.

With a week under their belt, Scott said testing has been 'pretty seamless for the most part” but has not seen too many requests for tests yet. Appointments may pick up when the store begins to more heavily advertise the new service, Scott added.

Those interested in booking an appointment for a test can do so at www.doineedacovid19test.com.