Joliet Coronavirus Test Site For 1st Responders Opens At Walmart

JOLIET, IL — As of Sunday, March 22, Joliet's Walmart parking lot at 2424 West Jefferson St. became one of two sites in Illinois for first responders and health care professionals to go for testing of the new coronavirus, the Joliet Police Department announced. The other site is in Northlake, in the northwest Cook County suburbs. The coronavirus testing will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"We are telling the public to not come down to the testing site. They will be refused testing. This is an unprecedented time in our nation, and we must work together to help stop the spread of COVID-19," Joliet police officials said. "The Joliet Police Department will be onsite to control traffic, and the Walmart store will remain open."

People who work as first responders and healthcare professionals will need to bring a photo ID along with a first responder ID or healthcare ID.

"You do not have to be showing symptoms to be tested as carriers can be asymptomatic," according to the Joliet police press release. "This first-of-its-kind public private partnership is an important model to help accelerate the much-needed testing and stopping the spread of COVID-19."

Don't miss updates about precautions in the Chicago area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

More Patch coronavirus coverage this week:

• Coronavirus: Shorewood Area Business Closings, Openings
• Giovan's Made Transition To Carryout Before Coronavirus Hit
• Milano Bakery: 'Everybody Needs To Calm Down'