COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A new COVID-19 testing location opened Monday in Hayden, as reported by our partners, the Coeur d'Alene Press.
It's the first site in Idaho for public health service startup Curative, which has dozens of sites in Washington and thousands across the United States.
"It's a big deal for us," Curative regional director Elizabeth Bayardi said Monday. Bayardi oversees testing in Montana, Washington, Alaska and now Idaho.
The testing trailer is in the parking lot north of the Prairie Shopping Center, between the Hayden Library at 8385 N. Government Way and the Hayden Discount Cinema at 300 W. Centa Drive. The site is accessible from Government or U.S. 95.
Bayardi said no patients had used the new Curative site by about 12:30 p.m. on its first day.
"We're expecting as word gets out, we'll see some patients," she said. "Our staff went around to the businesses to get the word out and the library is promoting it as well. Just hoping eventually, as people drive by and see we're here, they'll stop by and get tested."
Community Library Network director Amy Rodda said the library offered for Curative to use its back parking lot to conduct the COVID tests.
"The Community Library Network has partnered with many health care organizations to use our parking lots for mobile health care services, such as blood donation and other testing services,” Rodda said.
Curative offers self-collected, shallow-nasal PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests with no out-of-pocket fees.
Clients are seen with or without insurance. No doctor referrals are necessary.
"If they have no insurance, it's no barrier," Bayardi said.
Clients will be asked screening questions about COVID-19 exposure and symptoms, which include cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, congestion, nausea and diarrhea.
Test samples are sent to Curative's lab in California for processing. Turnaround time is 24-48 hours.
Bayardi said now is the time to open a clinic in Hayden as health districts and hospitals take a step back from testing, leaving holes in the community.
"We want to step in and fill that hole," she said. "That way as county health departments and city health departments go back to what they were doing pre-pandemic, which is what they need to do, people in the community can still get tested."
Curative will provide masks, which are required for those who use the testing trailer.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The testing trailer will indefinitely remain at the site.
"We're here, we're ready to serve the community," Bayardi said. "We would love anyone who wants to be tested."
Visit curative.com to book appointments.
The Coeur d'Alene Press is a KREM 2 News partner. For more news from our partners, click here.