Rapid COVID-19 Test Available in Missoula if You Have Symptoms

"It's going to feel like a fly is stuck in your nose for about five seconds." That's what the lady told me right before she was about to stick a long q-tip in my nose to swab me for COVID-19. It wasn't a terrible experience, but it was uncomfortable and not something I want to do any more than I have to. Need a million dollar idea? Somebody needs to develop an orbital scanner that works right from the camera on your smart phone. Just take a pic of your eyeball and let technology do the rest by analyzing your readings. No swabs. No spit. Simple testing at your fingertips. I know, it's not that easy. But c'mon - we're living in the future!

There does happen to be a bit of good news if you need to be tested for COVID-19 in Missoula. Rapid testing is now being offered by the Missoula City-County Health Department at the testing facility on Flynn Lane. That's the new home of the testing that was originally being done at the Western Montana Fairgrounds earlier this year. A fancy piece of equipment called an Abbott ID NOW machine is helping to speed up lab results for those that are tested. Missoula City-County Health Department Incident Commander Cindy Farr's thoughts are included in a KPAX article on the testing:

“With more tests being processed more quickly, everything else speeds up, too. This ultimately means that we’ll be able to identify and notify patients of their results more quickly, begin contact tracing sooner, and initiate quarantine and isolation earlier."

Rapid testing is available to those experiencing symptoms that might be related to COVID-19. Standard testing will be used for those that have been in close contact with someone experiencing systems - but not showing symptoms of their own.

Testing is available at the Flynn Lane location by appointment. Call (406) 258-INFO for more.