Kojo Quartey, MCCC President, received his negative result from a coronavirus test on Tuesday afternoon.
“This is my fifth COVID test even though I’m triple vaccinated,” Quartey said. “I’ve been getting them just to be safe, especially with my little one.”
The day prior, Quartey received the test at the drive-through coronavirus testing clinic on campus.
Quartey said he was contacted by the Monroe County Health Department, who requested to set up the clinic on MCCC property.
After finding the space for it, Quartey agreed, allowing them to set up in the parking lot in front of the L Building and the La-Z-Boy Center.
“We have to keep people educated,” Quartey said. “Regular testing to ensure that you’re negative is helping. It benefits all of us.”
According to a Health Department news release, the testing site began providing self-administered saliva qPCR tests on Jan. 26. The site is in operation 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Health Department is partnering with LynxDx, a private diagnostics company with testing sites in Monroe, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Brighton and Lansing.
The Health Department brought this site to MCCC to meet the high demand for tests in Monroe, stated a news release.
MCCC has a contract with LynxDx and the Health Department, Quartey said. At this time, it is indefinite.
Quartey predicts that the testing site will remain as long as there are still coronavirus cases in Monroe.
To get tested, individuals should pre-register online and show proof of insurance.
A news release stated that uninsured patients will not be turned away because the Health Department received federal funding to cover those costs.
“It’s free of charge. It doesn’t take any time at all,” Quartey said. “Just go. Drive through. Get yourself tested.”
