Loudoun County Government: Loudoun County Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Events To Twice Weekly Beginning In January

Ashburn VA

30 December, 2021

5:16 PM

Description

Press release from the Loudoun County Government: December 30, 2021 Loudoun County is expanding its weekly COVID-19 testing events to twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays and moving the start time one hour earlier to 9:00 a.m., beginning Tuesday, January 4, 2022. The additional testing events will give residents more options for free testing as the county continues to experience a high level of community transmission of COVID-19 and as the spread of the Omicron variant increases. "Increasing access to testing is important as we see a surge in infection rates in our region," said Loudoun County Health Director Dr. David Goodfriend. "Additionally, because it is possible for fully vaccinated people to become infected and unknowingly spread the virus, getting tested when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or when you're feeling sick is a critical step toward limiting the spread of the virus." Testing Location Since the COVID-19 testing program began, the county has held the free, drive-thru testing events at rotating sites throughout the county. However, due to the increased demand for testing, the county is holding the first events in January at the largest of those facilities, Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park in Leesburg and will announce decisions on a week-to-week basis on testing event locations based on demand. The first testing events of January are scheduled for: January 4 & 7: Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park, 42405 Claudia Drive, Leesburg (Enter the park on Crosstrail Boulevard from Sycolin Road.) Please note that given increased demand, there may be a significant wait time in the drive-thru line. The site will close once testing capacity is reached. To be notified regarding changes in site hours and the schedule of testing events, opt in to receive text message updates in English (text LCCOVID19 to 888777) or Spanish (text LCCOVIDESP to 888777), or check the Loudoun County Government Facebook page or @LoudounCoGovt on Twitter. The testing events are free and open to all. There are no age or residency requirements. No prescriptions or appointments are necessary. A person does not have to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 to be tested. A PCR test (nasal swab) will be administered, which tests for the novel coronavirus. No antibody or rapid tests will be offered. No COVID-19 vaccine will be available at these events. Registration Form To help reduce wait times, people who plan to attend the testing event are strongly encouraged to complete a registration form prior to arriving at the testing site for each person who will be receiving a test. The registration form is required and asks for general demographics and contact information, including name, date of birth, address, phone number and current symptoms, if any. Questions about insurance may be ignored. This press release was produced by the Loudoun County Government. The views expressed here are the author's own.