The Brown County Health Department will be partnering with the Adams County Health Department and Southern Illinois University’s Center for Family Medicine to provide testing this week in Brown County, Illinois. This effort will help to expand access to COVID-19 testing, reduce transmission of the disease and improve health outcomes for those living in rural areas.

Testing will take place on May 5 and May 6 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. via the Wellness Express at the Brown County Fairgrounds located at 309 Fairground Street in Mt. Sterling.

Anyone with COVID-19-like illness or symptoms can be screened, without a doctor’s order. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell, in accordance with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Symptomatic patients with the following criteria are especially encouraged to seek testing.
 exposure to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19
 over 60 years of age
 has a chronic health condition
 works in an essential community service, such as a grocery store or childcare facility
 resides in a temporary shelter

Testing is also available for those with or without symptoms who work in health care, work in corrections, serve as first responders or work in other areas of the service economy.

For more information, contact the Brown County Health Department at 217-773-2714.

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