On Sept. 10, the Jackson County Health Department issued a press release announcing that due to a grant being given to the JCHD, SIH and SIU, COVID-19 testing would be more accessible on campus and across the area.

According to the press release, “a $2.8 million grant, resulting from a partnership between the Jackson County Health Department, Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) and Southern Illinois University, will bring expanded COVID-19 testing to the county and SIU campus.”

The grant was made to the JCHD by the Illinois Department of Public Health and came to the state through the CARES Act, the press release said.

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“The health department saw the university and SIH as logical partners in efforts to expand testing and tracing,” Bart Hagston, administrator of the JCHD said in the press release. “SIH was already positioned as a regional leader in conducting COVID-19 testing but was looking for ways to increase efficiency and volume. The university wanted to make testing more widely available to faculty, staff and students.”

Hagston said SIH and SIU contributed their input during the JCHD’s grant application submission in the summer.

According to the press release, SIH will begin offering, by appointment, twice-weekly on-site testing at SIU starting Sept. 14. Appointments are able to be made regardless of symptoms and results will be available within 24 to 48 hours. 

More information regarding location, times and  registration information will be posted on the university’s coronavirus website on Sept. 11. 

The Daily Egyptian’s News Desk can be reached at 1-618-536-3329, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @dailyegyptian.

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