Free, self-administered covid tests offered

Rapid, self-administered covid-19 tests are now available in Wahkiakum County, the county health department announced Tuesday.

Residents can order their free covid-19 test kits while supplies last at SayYesCovidHomeTest.org.

The Say Yes! Covid Test At-Home Testing Challenge provides households with access to free, rapid covid-19 test kits that they can self-administer and is now available in the county, according to a health department news release. The Say Yes! Covid Test encourages residents to use the tests to reduce the spread of covid-19 and help keep the community healthy. Wahkiakum residents can order testing kits online for free home delivery. Limited test kits will also be available for pick up from the Wahkiakum County Health Department.

“Children, adolescents, and adults need more tools to inform their choices. Free, rapid, self-administered testing will give community members one more way to help reduce the spread of covid-19,” said Chris Bischoff, health department director. “Anyone can just swab the front of their nose and perform this test in the privacy of their home and have results within 10 minutes.”

The Say Yes! Covid Test initiative is a cooperative effort from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), community partners, test manufacturer Quidel, and healthcare technology company CareEvolution. Researchers at NIH-supported academic health centers will work with CDC and NIH to use publicly available data to determine if the local testing efforts slowed the spread of covid-19.

Rapid, self-administered testing has potential to disrupt the spread of covid-19 that occurs when people are infected, but don’t yet have symptoms. Testing on a routine basis offers the best chance of identifying covid-19 infection and isolating early. The covid-19 tests are authorized for use by the FDA, provided free of charge, and the entire testing process can be managed privately at home. Tests require a quick swab inside each nostril, and results can be read in just 10 minutes. The maker of the tests, Quidel, is the same company that made the first rapid flu tests used by doctors’ offices in the United States.

Individuals who have not yet received the covid-19 vaccine or who have the highest risk of exposure to covid-19, such as people working or going to school outside the home, are ideal candidates for participation, but anyone over the age of 2 is welcome to participate. The testing challenge lasts for at least a month, or until all tests are used. Test users who choose to use the companion digital assistant to record and share their test results and complete a survey can earn up to $35 in gift cards.

For questions about the Say Yes! Covid Test project. use the link above or call the Wahkiakum County Health Department at 360-795-6207.