Hancock — Western UP Health Department is offering drive-up COVID testing services at their Hancock office location. Testing is available by appointment weekdays, between 8:30 am – 2:00 pm. Specimens collected at the drive-up site will be processed by the newly constructed Western UP Regional Public Health Laboratory, located within the Health Department’s main office. Results are typically available within 24 hours.
The laboratory provides diagnostic COVID testing via Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Methods, or (NAATs). The NAAT procedure works by first amplifying – or making many copies of – the virus’s genetic material, if any is present in a person’s specimen. Amplifying those nucleic acids enables NAATs to detect very small amounts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a specimen, making these tests highly sensitive for diagnosing COVID. The laboratory does not perform rapid COVID testing.
Patients seeking testing for diagnostic purposes should not have any out of pocket expenses for COVID Testing. If you have health insurance, you must bring your card with you to the test site. If you do not have health insurance, you will be asked to provide other identifying information, such as Driver’s License or social security number, and WUPHD will submit a claim to the Federal CARES Act Program for coverage.
Individuals seeking COVID Testing for purposes other than diagnosis, such as travel, are asked to contact the lab directly to discuss testing methods, timing, and fees.
The Western Upper Peninsula Regional Public Health Laboratory began operations in September 2021 to increase public health laboratory testing capacity in the State of Michigan. The lab provides high- complexity clinical testing to identify communicable diseases and low-cost testing services to meet the public health needs of Upper Peninsula communities. To schedule an appointment for COVID Testing, please click the button below: