DES MOINES, Iowa — Thirteen health care providers in smaller Iowa communities are among the first to receive rapid COVID-19 testing machines from the Iowa Department of Public Health, Governor Kim Reynolds’ office confirmed Wednesday.
The Abbott Machines offer the ability to provide test results in five minutes, rather than sending samples to a lab which can take days for processing.
In a statement, the governor’s office said about the distribution of the machines:
“The Iowa Department of Public Health looked at what communities may need the testing capacity that Abbott machines can provide, and do not have other testing resources close by. Keep in mind, the Abbott machines have limited testing capability, so sending them to rural areas makes the most sense when it comes to capacity needs while we await more cartridges and supplies.
To determine this, the department looked at the population of elderly, number of long-term care facilities in the area, hospital capacity and whether the location could serve as a hub to several rural communities for testing resources. The epi team at DPH analyzes this information, and strives to send limited supplies to the areas where they can have a positive impact on communities.”
Here are the locations that will receive the machines, according to the governor’s office.
Veterans Memorial | Waukon |
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital | Red Oak |
Washington County Hospital | Washington |
Spencer Memorial Hospital | Spencer |
Iowa Veterans Home | Marshalltown |
Community Health Centers of Southeastern Iowa | Columbus City |
Ringgold County Hospital | Mt Ayr |
Kossuth Regional Health Center | Algona |
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | Storm Lake |
Regional Medical Center | Manchester |
Clarke County Hospital | Osceola |
Boone County Hospital | Boone |
Buchanan County Health Center | Independence |
Governor Reynolds has numerous times talked of the need for additional testing capacity and the difficulties in acquiring the necessary supplies to conduct those tests.