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Free COVID-19 tests are available to pick up at Colorado libraries and other community locations, though it’s best to check if they’re in stock before you go.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced Tuesday that “many” of the 437 sites distributing free KN95 masks around the state will also give out rapid test kits. A map on the state health department’s website shows public libraries, fire stations and other community sites offering free kits.
The mask distribution program had hiccups when sites on the map didn’t always have supplies available, so people who want to get testing kits might do well to check if their library or fire station is ready to distribute them. And the Denver Public Library, despite being advertised by the state as a mask pick-up location, declined to participate in that program.
The Rapid-at-Home program allowing Colorado residents to order testing kits by mail will continue, though the number of tests a household can order at any time has been scaled back from eight to two. The federal government also will mail four kits to addresses that request them at CovidTests.gov.
“Testing is an important tool for slowing disease transmission and we are grateful to our community partners who are helping us increase access to free rapid COVID-19 tests,” Scott Bookman, the state’s COVID-19 incident commander, said in a news release. “By utilizing community partners to distribute tests like they did with the free mask program, we are able to add to the 2 million free Rapid-at-Home tests we have already distributed to Coloradans and further increase access to rapid testing.”
Rapid tests look for a protein on the virus’ surface. They’re more likely to produce false negatives than a test that looks for the virus’s genetic material, but generally detect when people are at their most infectious.
The state health department has asked people who test positive to create an account at CovidRapidTests.colorado.gov so they can report their results. They should also isolate for at least five days and inform people they spent time with recently, so their contacts can get tested.
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