– Central Shenandoah Health District offers free testing weekly in November –
(STAUNTON, Va.) – The Central Shenandoah Health District offers free COVID-19 testing events, each Monday and Wednesday in November. Testing is available to anyone age 17 and older who wishes to be tested. There is no pre-screening.
Drive-thru testing is offered Mondays from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, 4804 South Valley Pike in Harrisonburg, on November 9, 16, 23 and 30.
Drive-thru and walk-up testing is offered Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. at James Madison University, University Park (UPARK), 1021 Devon Lane in Harrisonburg, on November 11 and 18 and December 2, 9 and 16.
“These testing events are for anyone 17 years and older who wants to get tested for COVID-19,” said Laura Kornegay, M.D., director of the Central Shenandoah Health District. “There is no pre-screening to qualify for these testing events, and test results are expected in three to five days. Our goal is to make testing more accessible to everyone in our community who wants or needs it.”
These tests will be self-administered nasal swab tests. Pre-register in advance at www.doineedacovid19test.com/, or you can register at the events. You will receive an email notification when your results are available.
“In September the White House COVID-19 Task Force identified Harrisonburg as an area that would benefit from increased COVID-19 testing capacity,” said Dr. Kornegay. “Especially with winter holidays coming, where people may be engaging in riskier indoor social activities outside of their household, a COVID-19 test can help people make informed decisions about their health. But it’s important to remember that getting tested only measures your status at the moment you are tested.”
“The best thing to do to reduce your risk of exposure to COVID-19 and reduce the risk of spreading it is to limit your social interactions with individuals who are not a part of your household, keep your distance from others outside of your household when you are in public, properly wearing a mask when in public, practice good hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and stay home and away from others when you feel sick,” she continued.
These events are offered with the cooperation and support of the Department of Health and Human Services, Rockingham County, City of Harrisonburg, Virginia Department of Health and James Madison University.
Use your phone to fight COVID-19! Download the free COVIDWISE app on your iPhone or Android, and follow the instructions to turn on your exposure notifications. This allows you to be notified if you’ve likely been exposed. COVIDWISE uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to quickly notify users who have likely been exposed so you can reduce the risk of infection for your friends and family and help Virginia stop the spread of COVID-19. For more information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/covidwise/.
Follow the Central Shenandoah Health District on Facebook for the weekly testing schedule and locations.
For more information about COVID-19, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus.
