COVID testing site in McLean County to remain open

Posted on July 30, 2021
Reditus specimen collector Javier Valle working at the McLean County Fairgrounds testing site in April. (Photo courtesy Reditus Laboratories)

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – The COVID-19 testing site at the McLean County Fairgrounds was scheduled to close July 31 due to a decrease in testing. However, due to an increase in COVID cases surrounding the Delta variant, the Illinois Department of Public Health has decided that community-based testing sites will remain open.

Testing will continue, for now, at the site, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, said Dr. Aaron Rossi, CEO of Reditus Laboratories.

The Pekin based lab has operated the site at 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, since May of last year.

“We are, however, evaluating a potential location change in McLean County due to cost and disruption of our processes as more events are taking place at the fairgrounds,” Rossi said in a news release Thursday.

The McLean County Fair is scheduled for Aug. 4-8.

During the site’s busiest time in fall 2020, nearly 1,300 people were tested per day. During the past two months, the site averaged about 30 people tested per day, Rossi said.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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