Michigan is the first state to launch coronavirus “Test to Treat” programs that include free testing and telehealth services, with 13 locations throughout the state.
The state health department said Monday the Mitten State is the first to launch this federal initiative at neighborhood testing sites to provide quick access to free COVID-19 antiviral medications.
What is the COVID Test to Treat program?
The program serves Michigan residents with limited access to a health care provider. The sites allow people to access COVID-19 testing, a health assessment and appropriate prescriptions in one visit.
People who test positive for COVID-19 at the location can utilize the free telehealth services on-site. A health care provider will review the person’s medical history and current medications and determine whether the person is eligible for antiviral treatment. If so, the provider will submit a free prescription to a pharmacy close to the site, chosen by the individual, according to the state health department.
Testing is available for children ages 2 and older, but the oral antiviral medication Paxlovid is only for people 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds with a positive test and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization and death, said Lynn Sutfin, a state health department spokeswoman.
Who is providing the program and why?
The partnership is between the state, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said Matt Quinn, science director of the Army’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center.
State health officials want to make sure more Michigan residents have access to COVID-19 outpatient treatments.Communities selected for the telehealth sites that have:
- A high Social Vulnerability Index.
- A high percentage of people older than 50 who tested at the site.
- Have limited access to health care sites outside of emergency departments and high testing volume.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state’s chief medical executive, said early access to antiviral medications helps support a faster recovery and decreases the risk of someone being hospitalized. COVID-19 treatments help prevent severe illness if taken soon after symptoms start.
Where are the COVID-19 telehealth testing sites?
Eight are in southeast Michigan, with five others scattered around the state, including one in the Upper Peninsula. Here are the locations:
• Wayne County Community College Northwest Campus, 8200 W. Outer Drive, Detroit• Word of Life Church, 460 W. Atherton Road, Flint• Albion College-Washington Gardner, 401 E. Michigan Ave., Albion• New Beginnings Deliverance Ministry, 2609 E. Genesee, Saginaw• Macedonia Baptist Church, G5443 N. Saginaw St., Flint• Westwood Mall, 3020 US-41, Marquette• New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 33640 Michigan Ave., Detroit• International Gospel Center, 375 Salliotte Road, Ecorse• Bethel Baptist Church, 5715 Holcomb St., Suite 33, Detroit• Southwestern Church of God, 3032 Fort St., Detroit• Christ Temple Church, 412 East Sherman Blvd., Muskegon• Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 1105 East Main St., Benton Harbor• Calvary Lutheran Church, 8129 Packard Ave., Warren
Can I get free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government?
Yes and no.
The federal government suspended its free at-home COVID-19 test program Sept. 2 because Congress hadn’t provided additional money to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests, per www.covid.gov/tests.
However, the Michigan health department last week announced 289,000 free COVID-19 tests through a partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation through Project Act. It was to provide 58,000 households with one kit containing five tests, typically within a week of ordering.
On Monday morning, a notice appeared on the www.AccessCovidTests.org site when a couple of metro Detroit ZIP codes were punched in with a message to please try again in a few days.
“We have had an overwhelming response to the initiative and have already exhausted the initial home delivery supply. We will have additional kits available in the coming days. Please check back later to place an order,” the notice stated.