Local health center offering drive-up COVID tests

Tiffin Community Health Center will be providing COVID-19 testing by appointment starting Monday. "The main thing is people must have a telehealth appointment first," said Chief Operating Office Beth West. Appointments are available 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning now, for people who already are patients at the center and for new patients. West said anyone who would like a test can call the health center to make an appointment for a telehealth visit. During the appointment, a time will be assigned for a drive-up test at the center, 1344 W. Seneca Ave. People should follow signs and cones when they arrive. At the drive-up appointment, she said the staff will be doing some education and showing people how to administer the test. West said test is self-administered under the direction of health center staff members and will detect the live virus. "It's a nasal swab that goes just inside the nostril, not the long swab people have been seeing," she said. "It's going to show if the virus is present at the time of the test. It's really quite quick. Once people get in line for the testing, it takes about 10 minutes at most." Tests are to be sent to Labcorp for processing, and tested people will get a phone call will results within three days, she said. Positive tests are to be reported to the Seneca County General Health District. The cost of visits are to be billed to insurance companies, but there will be no out-of-pocket money required, she said. Expenses for uninsured people are to be paid from COVID relief funds. West said Tiffin Community Health Center has been open in Tiffin for three or four years, and the center has been in its current location for about a year. The medical provider offers services in the areas of medical, behavioral health and pharmacy. Usually, dental also is available, and she said the center is hoping to restart dental services later this summer. For more information or for an appointment, call (419) 455-8140.