Trinity Health and the North Dakota Department of Health are conducting COVID-19 testing of Trinity employees and providers this week. Testing was scheduled to take place Monday and today, according to Trinity Health.

The testing is being offered in partnership with the health department and First District Health Unit in response to Governor Burgum’s initiative to increase testing across all healthcare settings in North Dakota.

Trinity Health Vice President Randy Schwan said 460 test kits have been allocated for this round of testing, with priority given to first responders, acute care staff and outpatient employees, regardless of symptoms. The testing event is not associated with any known illness or exposure.

“This is welcome news,” Schwan said. “Our number one priority is safeguarding the health of the patients we serve and the excellent staff who provide them care. The opportunity to test employees and providers is a valuable measure to further increase safety and reduce risk of COVID-19 spread within our campus and community.”

The health department is proactively using sentinel surveillance testing of healthcare staff across the state to lower the risk of COVID-19 spread within hospitals, nursing homes and other similar settings. Residents and staff of Trinity Homes were tested for COVID-19 on April 23. All tests were negative.