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Medical Center to begin COVID-19 testing July 1


PHILIPSBURG – The Granite County Medical Center will begin testing for the COVID-19 virus July 1.

Maria Stoppler, GCMC CEO, announced the testing in an email to the Flint Creek Courier Thursday morning. The testing will begin July 1 in Philipsburg at the GCMC facility, with Drummond starting the following week on July 7 at the Clinic in Drummond. Both will be done in a drive-thru format.

Dates for the Philipsburg testing are July 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 & 23.

Dates for the Drummond testing are July 7, 14, 21 and 28.

Testing begins each day at 9 a.m. and ruins until 4 p.m.

Cost for the testing is free and is covered by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

Those wishing to be tested do not need to be showing symptoms.

Stoppler did express that if you think you’ve been exposed that testing too soon could produce a false negative. The virus takes 10-14 days to incubate and a patient not return a positive on the test until they are closer to that time table.

Stoppler also indicated that the best way to prevent exposure to the COVID=19 virus is by following the guidelines issued by the CDC, which are as follows:

  • Thorough and frequent hand washing is critical

  • Avoid close contact keeping a distance of at least 6 feet if possible

  • Wear cloth face coverings in public where social distancing is difficult to maintain

  • Disinfect frequently touched surfaces

  • Sneeze or cough into a tissue, handkerchief, or your elbow

  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

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