Soon there will be a new COVID-19 saliva testing lab in Minnesota, a move that state officials say will greatly enhance the state’s testing capabilities, help slow the virus and create jobs.
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Script: Boozhoo, I’m Cole Premo. Here’s your daily update.
Soon, there will be a new COVID-19 saliva testing lab in Minnesota, a move that state officials say will greatly enhance the state’s testing capabilities, help slow the virus -- and create jobs.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm recently addressed the state's new partnership with the nation's leading distributor of saliva testing. Here she is.
MALCOLM: “Minnesota has partnered with a company called Vault Health… it will significantly expand and diversify testing… this will also create new jobs ...
Malcolm said the saliva testing will increase the state’s overall testing capability by more than two-fold. It'll also create up to 250 jobs at its planned Oakdale location.
MALCOLM: “This will allow us to do many things… to test more priority groups… rapid focus testing… ”
Health officials say the test can be taken at-home, supervised by a health expert using a telehealth service. There will also be in-person testing locations.
As of Aug. 25, state officials are working to finalize the $14.66 million contract. The lab is expected to be up and running by early October.
Check out the Minnesota Health Department’s website for more.
I’m Cole Premo.