DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa's large-scale, free COVID-19 testing program TestIowa will end operations on July 16 after launching in April 2020, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced Wednesday afternoon.
IDPH says staggered closings of the drive-thru sites and clinic locations across the state will occur over the next five weeks.
The five state-operated drive-thru sites will close at 4 p.m. on the following days:
- Wed., June 23: Pottawattamie County (3236 Nebraska Ave., Council Bluffs)
- Thurs., June 24: Linn County (Windstar Lines, 5755 Willow Creek Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids)
- Fri., June 25: Black Hawk County (4121 Alexandra Drive, Waterloo)
- Fri., July 16: Polk County (4475 NE 3rd St., Des Moines)
- Fri., July 16: Scott County (North Park Mall, 320 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport)
Other clinic site closures will be determined by the provider. However, all sites will be closed no later than Friday, July 16. Those dates will be announced publicly and posted on the state's COVID dashboard and TestIowa's website.
Drive-thru sites will continue to operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours of operation may vary by clinic site.
COVID-19 testing at TestIowa dropped significantly after vaccine distribution began.
"Demand for testing is at its lowest levels in more than a year since vaccine is now widely available and virus activity has significantly decreased," IDPH said in a release. "However, ensuring the availability of free COVID-19 tests for Iowans remains a priority."
IDPH and the State Hygienic Lab are finalizing plans to provide free at-home COVID testing for Iowans following the closure of TestIowa. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
According to IDPH, TestIowa has tested nearly 644,000 individuals in the state, making it the top testing option for Iowans during the pandemic. Testing peaked on Nov. 23 with more than 6,700 Iowans tested that day.
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