ANNA (WSIL) -- The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 29 counties are now at the warning level for COVID-19; those include Jefferson, Williamson, Union, Randolph and Pulaski counties in our region.
Working with the Southern Seven Health Department, IDPH is offering two mobile testing sites in our region. One testing event took place in Anna Saturday with the intention of reducing the spread of the virus.
"It's the only way we're going to beat this virus, is to know where it is, and how pervasive it is," explains Debbie Mackie, Southern Regional Illinois Manager for HR support.
Mackie was managing the mobile testing site in Anna Saturday, and adds that testing, contact tracing and quarantine will speed up stopping the spread of the virus. "We want everybody to get tested. You may have absolutely no symptoms and you can still be carrying the COVID virus, which means when you go to visit grandma, you're putting her at serious risk."
Dozens of cars were lined up early before testing began, with Southern Seven reporting 130 tests were completed at Saturday's site. Mackie says some mobile sites will conduct up to 400 tests per day. They were prepared for a few hundred between between both locations.
The testing is described as a gentle nose swab and takes less than ten minutes to perform. Anna resident Phil Mendemhall was tested, he says he wants to ensure he is not putting anyone else at risk.
"It just tickled your nose and made you want to sneeze pretty bad, other than that it was very gentle," says Mendemhall. "I'm 64 years old, and I'm in that eligibility of high-risk people, so, we're trying to protect everybody else and you know, them protect us. So, as many people (as) can get tested, it's going to help our country out."
Samples from today's test are taken to the Reditus Lab in Pekin, Illinois, where results are expected within three-to-four days.
Another testing will take place Sunday in Vienna at the Johnson County, Southern Seven Clinic on Vine Street from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
