ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the ability to purchase more COVID-19 tests has allowed the county to expand its testing capacity.
“Starting Monday, we encourage anyone in St. Louis County who has frequent contact with those outside of your household to be tested for COVID-19 – even if you don’t have any symptoms or you’ve had no contact with anyone who is known to be COVID-19 positive.”
The county will offer free testing at its Berkeley clinic and it’s Sunset Hills clinic. Page said to call 314-615-0574 for an appointment. He also said that the county can test 150 asymptomatic people per day and that the test results should be back in 48 hours.
Page said the county is focused on containment.
“We’re especially interested in those who do not have symptoms but should be tested because they have contact with others outside of their household and they have the ability to transmit COVID-19, unknowingly.”
Page said even those who are not worried about the virus should be tested to protect other people.
During Wednesday's briefing, Page also talked about the opioid epidemic in the county and the ‘Anyone Can’ campaign. For more information on the campaign, click here.
He said in 2019, 266 people in the county died from an opioid overdose. And while that is a decrease from previous years – the deaths of black men from opioid overdose increased by 47%. Page said the county is considered that social distancing measures in place may lead to more opioid overdoses.
Page’s office said he will continue to hold briefings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 a.m. as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
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