I was recently tested for cornavirus by Test Iowa, and now you can be tested for free, too.

Following recent public criticisms, the Test Iowa initiative has taken actions to increase the number of COVID-19 tests being administered.

The new policy by Test Iowa  basically said they will now allow anyone to be tested regardless of symptoms or lack of symptoms. So I decided to see if this were really true.

I had signed up on the Test Iowa website a few weeks ago and was dutifully completing a short online survey daily to document any changes in my health and to reveal any possible symptoms of COVID-19.

The survey would ask questions about fever, cough, shortness of breath. The usual questions one would expect.

Since I had no major symptoms I wasn’t surprised at the end of the survey it would claim “you do not qualify for testing at this time“.

But last week that message changed. After taking the online daily survey, I was told that I now did qualify for testing, regardless of my lack of symptoms.

So I made an appointment to drive through the COVID-19 testing location near Kirkwood College in Cedar Rapids.

It wasn’t too busy when I arrived. I was following instructions that said I needed to provide my drivers license and a QR code which had been earlier emailed to me by Test Iowa.

The staff on site was professional and the National Guard support they were given seemed tremendous. The entire procedure only took a few minutes and did not require me to leave my car.

Upon arrival, a nurse performed a nasal swab test into both nostrils. Not a very pleasant experience, but not a big deal either.

I was then told I could expect my results via email within 72 hours.

Those results just arrived today and I’m happy to say that I tested negative for COVID-19.

I did not expect to test positive but wanted to experience the procedure to write this story and to verify reports that anyone could be tested. So I'm here to say it worked quite well, and I am now impressed with Test Iowa.

So now, as we start to “get back to normal“ we can probably expect some new infections to pop up due to closer contact with each other.

It is important that you also get tested, especially if you’re feeling any symptoms. We all know this disease can kill and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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