COVID Testing Site at Kurtz to Close at the End of October

Since beginning a partnership with Des Moines Public Schools in the Fall of 2021, Nomi Health has provided more than 32,000 COVID-19 tests for students, staff, families and community members. As the need for such testing has significantly declined, the Nomi Health test site located at the DMPS Kurtz Opportunity Center (1000 Porter Avenue) will close on October 28.

“Working with Nomi, we were able to provide thousands of people access to COVID-19 tests throughout the height of the pandemic,” noted Melissa Abbott, health services supervisor at DMPS. “With testing kits as well as the COVID vaccine being widely available, there has been less need for this service, and it is a natural time for the work at this site to come to an end.”

Since DMPS and Nomi Health announced the opening of test sites in September 2021 a total of 32,131 tests (23,453 antigen tests and 8,678 PCR tests) have been conducted through the end of September 2022. The average turn-around time for test results has been 35 hours. While more than 3,000 tests per week were conducted during the height of the pandemic, demand has dropped to fewer than 100 tests in recent weeks.

Abbott notes that COVID-19 testing, including at-home kits, are readily available. More information is available from the Polk County Health Department.

In addition, visit www.immunizepolk.com for information on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, including the latest booster shot.