ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Begin tested for COVID-19 continues to be a main line of defense in knowing when you should be taking extra precautions, including isolating. The Martin Luther King Junior Community Center in Rock Island, Illinois will now be offering free, drop-in PCR Covid-19 tests.
Stop by Mondays, Wednesdays from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm or Thursdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The Martin Luther King Junior Community Center says there are no eligibility requirements, and no appointments are necessary. All are welcome to take advantage of this free service.
The testing services are funded with a federal grant, and provided by MedLab Clinical Laboratory, which is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
The testing process involves a mouth swab to collect saliva. Results can be expected within 24-48 hours.
The Martin Luther King Center is located at 630 9th Street, Rock Island.
The MLK Center says, when arriving for Covid testing, please park in the lot to the west of the building, and enter through a special, marked entrance on the south side of the building (closest to 7th Avenue).
For more information, please call MedLab at (877) 444-4932.
Meanwhile hospitalizations continue to show that the strain on the healthcare industry is still very much prevalent. As of Sunday, there were 367 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds left in Illinois, out of nearly 3,000 beds. In Iowa There are over 900 people in hospitals as of Sunday battling COVID-19, 141 of those are in the ICU.
Healthcare workers continue to push, saying getting vaccinated is the best line of defense against getting the virus and decreases the chance of hospitalization. You can find a vaccine nearest you by texted the word "VACCINE" to 309-304-0888. News 8 will then send you information to find a vaccine.