Free COVID-19 tests will be offered on a first-come first-serve basis at Johnson County fairgrounds this afternoon by Mercy Iowa City and Rural Health and Safety of Eastern Iowa.

The clinic is today, Tuesday, from 3:30-5:30 p.m at 3109 Old Highway 218 S., Iowa City. The drive-thru testing clinic will be hosted in Building C, according to a press release.

Members of the public are encouraged to call Mercy On Call at 319-358-2767 or Rural Health & Safety of Eastern Iowa at 319-530-6002 for more information.

Free COVID-19 testing is also offered through Test Iowa, a state-run program. The closest site is in Cedar Rapids. People with symptoms or close contact with people with COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to be tested. According to press release from Mercy Iowa City, high-risk symptoms for COVID-19 include: new cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and new loss of taste or smell.

“While most people wait for their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine, we as a community need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Stephen Scheckel, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Mercy Iowa City. “COVID-19 continues to be prevalent with emerging variants that are even more transmissible and deadly, so there is a strong need to be aggressive with testing. As we move closer to herd immunity, now is not the time to let our guard down.”