COVID testing changes at MLHS

Due to the region’s surge in COVID cases, Mille Lacs Health System is not able to do community testing. Because of a lack of resources, COVID-19 testing is only being done on patients who have symptoms. There are specific times for testing and these are not administered on a walk-in basis; you must have an appointment, and these are only done in our Onamia clinic. If you call our COVID Nurse Hotline, know that we have been overwhelmed with testing requests, and our priority is to staff, residents, and ill patients in our facility. You will be triaged over the phone and if you meet certain criteria, you will be asked to come in to the Onamia campus for a test. Our staff does not have the capacity for tests such as those needed for people without symptoms but with known exposure, entertainment requirements, travel, state fair, camps, etc. You can go to this site and find a community testing center closest to you for those types of tests: https://mn.gov/covid-19

Otherwise, if you have symptoms, call our Covid Nurse Hotline and talk to a nurse: 320-532-2989. Mille Lacs Health System is asking that patients call that number only if they have symptoms and questions about getting tested. Please keep that line, and that nursing resource, open for patients who are ill with COVID symptoms, needing a test. The number should not be used for unrelated general medical questions. MLHS, like many other facilities across the country, needs to keep our staff resources for critical issues and care.

The best way to stay safe from COVID is to get your vaccination. You can call our main number 320-532-3154, option 1, and schedule a nurse visit to get your shot; or, you may get vaccinated at any other kind of provider appointment (and both options are only available at the Onamia Clinic.)