x
Breaking News
More () »

Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing site opens in Rock Island

Free testing available to Illinois residents regardless of symptoms or other criteria

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — A community-based COVID-19 drive-through testing site opened Monday in Rock Island, offering free testing to Illinois residents regardless of symptoms or other criteria.

Hundreds of people, including many families, lined up in their cars for hours at the site. Four healthcare professionals could be seen staffing tents located in the parking at the QCCA Expo Center in downtown Rock Island. 

"My kids' dad was exposed and he actually tested positive," said Alexandria Pedraza, a mother of four who had been waiting for tests for herself and her children for more than three hours. 

"So I needed us to get tested, and the clinics won`t test unless you have symptoms, so I had to wait til today and call off work for today to get into this line and get tested," Pedraza said. 

Janet Hill at the Rock Island County Health Department said the site came at a time when it was desperately needed, as case counts have surged in the Quad City area. 

"And it’s not just older people, we’ve had at least one county resident who died who was his 30s," Hill said. "And I think that was a wake-up call to a lot of people that this is not just something that is affecting people with underlying health conditions."

The site is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from June 29th to July 10th. It will close for July 4th. Photo identification and contact information are required. Results can be expected within 1-2 days. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out