KANKAKEE – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced the Illinois Department of Public Health will operate a temporary COVID-19 testing site now through Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at the Kankakee County Health Department, located at 2390 W. Station Street in Kankakee.

“A critical part of overcoming this virus is getting tested,” Joyce said. “This site will allow us to ramp up our testing capacity in Kankakee County and help reduce the spread in our community. I urge folks to get tested.”

Anyone will be able to get tested at the site for free, regardless of symptoms. No appointment is necessary, but daily testing supplies are limited, so residents are encouraged to visit early.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Other symptoms may include chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.

However, people with COVID-19 can spread the virus before they start showing symptoms, and some individuals may be asymptomatic. For this reason, IDPH recommends testing for anyone who has recently been part of a large gathering or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

For more information about COVID-19 testing, visit http://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.