November 30, 2020
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO – The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) and Missouri National Guard will perform drive-through testing to determine current COVID-19 infection on Dec. 10 and 11 on the parking lot of the Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway in St. Charles. The tests are free and open to all Missouri residents during the following times:
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10
- 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11
Online registration for scheduled appointments is necessary to speed the testing process. To register, visit the DHSS website at health.mo.gov/communitytest or call Missouri’s COVID-19 Hotline at 877-435-8411.
Those undergoing testing must be Missouri residents; however, they do not need to be St. Charles County residents to participate in this event. Individuals do not need to be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, nor do they need a physician’s order or proof of insurance to be eligible for the test.
Upon arrival at the testing site, participants should remain in their vehicles. After completing a short registration questionnaire, participants will collect a self-administered nasal specimen with assistance from members of the National Guard. The collected test will be sent to a laboratory for processing, and patients will be notified of their results within a few days.
St. Charles County residents who undergo COVID-19 testing should quarantine until receiving their test results and inform their close contacts of possible exposure to the virus. Those who test positive or who develop COVID-related symptoms must separate themselves from others who are not infected. To discontinue this isolation, the person must be fever free for at least 24 hours, have had significant improvement in symptoms and be at least 10 days from the start of symptoms. For those who test positive but are asymptomatic, isolation would be completed 10 days after the test was collected. Individuals who are notified that they are close contacts to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 should immediately follow CDC guidance on quarantine, which typically extends 14 days after the last day of exposure to the positive case.
Following recommended precautions, such as maintaining social distancing, washing hands and frequently touched surfaces regularly and covering your nose and mouth with cloth or disposable masks will reduce the risk for exposure to or spreading of contagious illnesses. For additional information on St. Charles County’s efforts to reduce the spread of illness, visit sccmo.org/COVID. For questions about symptoms or testing, speak with a medical provider or call the St. Charles County COVID-19 Hotline at 636-949-1899.
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Media Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org
About St. Charles County:
Founded in 1812, St. Charles County is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri, and the state’s third largest county in both population and economic share. It is home to 15 scenic county parks encompassing more than 3,643 acres with additional land under development and more in reserve for future development.
With a population of 395,504, St Charles County is home to large employers including General Motors, Citi, MasterCard Worldwide and Boeing. It is ranked among the top 25 counties in the nation in high-tech job growth by the Progressive Policy Institute and consistently has the lowest unemployment rate in the Metropolitan St. Louis area.
St. Charles County Government employs nearly 1,100 in more than 30 departments and offices, who work to make the county an excellent place to live, work and shop. For more information, please visit sccmo.org.