MDHHS partnering with libraries across the state to offer free at-home testing kits for Michiganders
Michimich.com/10155958

Jan. 14, 2022
CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. - To help provide additional testing resources to underserved areas of the state, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is partnering on a pilot project with libraries across the state to offer free, at-home testing kits for Michiganders.

"We are continuing to find innovative ways to provide Michiganders with opportunities to protect themselves from COVID-19," said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. "Testing is an important tool to limit the spread of the virus and we encourage residents to visit participating library locations to get their test kit."

This week, nearly 5,500 test kits were shipped to 18 libraries in Calhoun, Clare, Newaygo, Oceana and Saginaw counties and the City of Detroit. Each site received 300 COVID-19 at-home test kits that each include one test. Additional kits will be shipped to these sites as needed and more libraries will be added to the distribution in the coming weeks. Information will be posted at Michigan.gov/coronavirus.

Demand for test kits is high across the state and country, especially as Michigan experiences another wave of COVID-19 infections. This initial distribution of tests to select library branches will inform MDHHS' approach to formalizing and sustaining the project going forward in partnership with the Michigan Library Association.

"This partnership is just one more tool to keep our school communities safe," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive. "Along with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, mask wearing and social distancing, take-home testing allows Michiganders easy access to testing."

"With the proper protocols for distribution and pickup in place, we believe that this will be a great opportunity for libraries that want to participate to get involved as distribution points in their communities," said Deborah E. Mikula, executive director of the Michigan Library Association. "Many of our libraries are ready to provide access to these test kits for our most vulnerable citizens and have been asking for some time how to get involved."

Test kits are limited at each location and are available on a first come, first served basis. Michiganders are asked to take one kit per person, up to five per household. To obtain a test kit, visit the following libraries during business hours.

County	City	Library	Address
Calhoun	Homer	Homer Public Library	141 West Main Street
Clare	Clare	Pere Marquette District Library More on Michimich.com O2 Invests in Modular Devices, Inc. Former US Navy Pirate Hunter Justin Myers Announces New Speaking Program Arizona Pest Control Becomes First Pest Control Company In The World To Launch NFT Collection President and CEO of Huizenga Group, Steve Klotz, gifts $1 million to Eastern Michigan University College of Business OGLife Multiverse Embraces a Staple of Internet Culture in its Partnership with YouMeme as the Metaverse of Memes	185 East Fourth Street
Clare	Farwell	Surrey Township Public Library	105 East Michigan Street
Clare	Harrison	Harrison District Library	105 East Main Street
Newaygo	Hesperia	Hesperia Community Library	80 South Division Street
Newaygo	White Cloud	White Cloud Community Library	1038 Wilcox Avenue
Oceana	Hart	Hart Area Public Library	415 South State Street
Oceana	Pentwater	Pentwater Township Library	402 East Park Street
Saginaw	Frankenmuth	James E. Wickson Memorial Library	359 South Franklin Street
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library	5201 Woodward Avenue
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Campbell	8733 Vernor Highway
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Edison	18400 Joy Road
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Jefferson	12350 East Outer Drive
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Parkman	1766 Oakman Boulevard
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Redford	21200 Grand River
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Public Library - Wilder	More on Michimich.com AttaBox's Heartland® Polycarbonate Enclosures Now Feature Reliable Foam-In-Place Gaskets How Keona The Founder Of The Feminine School Is Branding Female Personalities With Etiquettes Coaching Across the Globe for Over A Decade Cpics - A New Streaming Platform Dedicated to South Asian Content Announce Upcoming 2022 Activities Deshawn White's New Hip Hop Single 'Burn' Is Favored By Inspirational Radio SIX LABS LAUNCHES HIGGS PRODUCTS IN MICHIGAN 7140 East 7 Mile Road
Wayne	Detroit	Detroit Mobile Library	Various locations
Wayne	Taylor	Taylor Community Library	12303 Pardee Road

The test kits are in addition to the MI Backpack Home Tests, a voluntary program, which parents, students and staff can sign up to take home COVID-19 test kits. MDHHS has provided nearly 175,000 kits to schools to distribute to participants.

To help provide access to testing, in 2021:

• Nearly 4.6 million rapid antigen tests were distributed by MDHHS to partners.
  • More than 2.6 million to schools and for school-based and sports-based testing.
  • Nearly 554,000 to Department of Corrections.
  • More than 912,000 to long-term care facilities.
     
• In 2021, there have been 5,731 testing events at points of entry, community or neighborhood sites where 323,082 tests have been conducted.
• We continue to work with Community Action Agencies across the state and have delivered more than 8,000 over-the-counter tests through this partnership.

To find a testing site near you, visit Search Results (solvhealth.com). In addition, community popup testing sites are listed at Coronavirus - Community Based Pop-Up Rapid Antigen Testing Events (michigan.gov) (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michigan.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F0%2C9753%2C7-406-98178_104699_104714-554722--%2C00.html&data=04%7C01%7CSutfinL1%40michigan.gov%7Cede469c1ccaa41e6176308d9ceea492c%7Cd5fb7087377742ad966a892ef47225d1%7C0%7C0%7C637768327916606829%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=c9neHGLojyxx8sNEnHUCj6nENTmV1QRyEmHHO97kWng%3D&reserved=0), which includes testing at welcome centers, airports and 22 neighborhood testing sites across the state.

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