SALISBURY — Due to increased demand, Novant Health will reopen a mass COVID-19 testing site near Rowan Medical Center.

Starting Wednesday, the testing site at 315 Mocksville Ave. will be open to the general public from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The site is next to Community Care Clinic and Prevent Child Abuse Rowan. Appointments are not required and you don’t need to be a Novant Health patient to get tested.

This location will administer tests for asymptomatic patients with potential exposure and symptomatic patients. Rapid tests are not available.

In a news release, Novant Health said people seeking tests for travel, return-to-work, unvaccinated employee surveillance or return-to-school clearance should use the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Test Site Finder at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/testing for a location that better suits their needs. 

Most medical insurance plans cover the costs of those who are symptomatic or have been exposed to COVID-19, but Novant Health recommended individuals check with their insurance provider in advance to be sure. Some plans may include out-of-pocket costs such as a deducible or copayment. Novant Health covers the testing fee for those who are uninsured.  

Novant Health offers an online tool for those with questions about whether to get tested at novanthealth.org/coronavirus. The assessment is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be used if patients are experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

In the previous two weeks, 2,806 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Rowan County. Adjusted for population, Rowan County is No. 2 in the state for positives in the previous two weeks — behind only Graham County in western North Carolina. The number of positives in the previous two weeks is about 21.8% of the total tests conducted, according to NCDHHS.

Rowan County Health Department Director Alyssa Harris said an average of 67 Rowan County residents were hospitalized over the Labor Day weekend with COVID-19, and 96% of them were not vaccinated.

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Rowan County (347) remained unchanged Tuesday on the NCDHHS dashboard, but Harris said eight more unvaccinated patients have died since Thursday. The average age for the eight deaths is 65 for women and 55 for men.

The NCDHHS dashboard can take several days to show deaths after they occur.