The health district will be hosting a drive-through COVID-19 test kit giveaway today from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its 529 E. Home Road location.
Clark County Combined Health District communications coordinator Nate Smith said having test kits on hand is important, particularly as the holiday season begins and certain offices and businesses will be closed.
Identifying a COVID-19 infection as early as possible following onset of symptoms or learning of potential exposure is critical to reducing the risk of severe illness or hospitalization from the virus, and an adequate supply of at-home test kits can be the first steps toward identifying and successfully treating an exposure to COVID-19, according to the health district.
“It’s important to have them before you get sick. We want you to have them now, so you have them readily available,” Smith said.
The health district will distribute to giveaway participants a supply of COVID-19 tests for themselves and everyone in their household.
Individuals can help limit the spread of COVID-19 by taking an at-home test as soon as they feel sick. At-home tests provide results in minutes compared to the days that a lab test can take, which can help keep people at work and kids in school, according to a health district press release.
The local positivity rate of COVID tests performed is currently about 10%. There are an average of 162 cases of COVID-19 infection and 14 hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents, according to the CDC.
The influx of patients sick with COVID-19 strains area healthcare workers, who are also reporting an increase in patients sick with other viruses, such as influenza. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has also been impacting the children’s hospitals in the area.
As of this week, flu patients are more prevalent than COVID-19 patients at Springfield Regional Medical Center, Smith said.
The health district expects COVID-19 cases – as well as other cases of viruses – to increase following the gathering of people this holiday season.
A “measurable increase in the amount of COVID-19″ the health district sees has followed nearly every major holiday since the pandemic’s start, Smith said.
If a person tests positive for COVID and is at higher risk for severe illness due to age or medical conditions, treatments are available that can minimize symptoms and reduce chances of serious illness or hospitalization. However, those treatments must be started as soon as possible upon infection, which makes early detection of a COVID illness extremely important, according to the health district.
Higher risk individuals for severe illness or hospitalization due to a COVID infection should consider wearing a face mask while indoors or on public transportation, the health district said.
Those who cannot make it to the health district’s COVID-19 test kit giveaway can gather free test kits during the health district’s regular hours. The Biden administration is also offering free COVID tests again as part of its COVID-19 winter preparedness plan, and households are eligible for four tests each.
The health district also recommends that any positive tests be self-reported by filling out a brief online questionnaire or by calling the health district at 937-390-5600. Self-reporting positive at-home COVID tests allows for a more accurate measure of community transmission, Smith said.
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