By Shawn Nowlin shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
A few months ago, Virginia began distributing free, at-home COVID-19 test kits. Made by Flowflex, the antigen home test accurately identifies 93 percent of positive specimens and 100 percent of negative specimens.
Many options exist to order a test. People can obtain a free testing kit from the federal program at CovidTests.gov, purchase an at-home test at local pharmacies and retailers, and if applicable, do so through health insurance.
What should people do if they test positive? How about if they test negative?
Very likely one has COVID-19 if an at-home test is positive. Such individuals, especially those with weakened immune systems or other health conditions, should talk to a doctor as quickly as possible about the treatment options available.
If an at-home test comes back negative, that means the virus was not found in the body, effectively lowering the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others. Even if a test is negative, individuals are encouraged to take another to verify it.
Sixty-five million households nationwide and counting have requested free COVID-19 tests from the government, including numerous families throughout Salem. Every order is mailed through First Class Package Service, and kits usually ship within 7-12 business days. Inaccurate results are a possibility if antigen tests are exposed for extended periods of time to temperatures below 36 degrees.
Last Monday, Governor Glenn Youngkin said, “I have always been a strong advocate for everyone to get the vaccine. We know that the vaccine is the best protection against severe illness as a result of COVID-19. I have made the choice to get vaccinated and encourage everyone to join me in doing that, but ultimately it is a personal decision to do so. After a heartbreaking pandemic, getting vaccinated can ensure that there are better days ahead for Virginia.”
Added Acting State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH, “Vaccines work, and we applaud Governor Youngkin for sharing these very important messages. Most of the people hospitalized with COVID-19, especially those experiencing severe symptoms, are unvaccinated. If you have not been vaccinated, please get vaccinated. It could save your life.”
As soon as they were readily available, Jeffrey Walker says he ordered four free tests for his wife and two daughters. “I’ll do anything to protect my family and loved ones. The way I look at it, taking these precautions helps ensure the safety of those around you,” Walker said. “It’s still difficult to grasp that we are actually in the third calendar year of this pandemic.”
On CovidTests.gov, the process of ordering and taking tests is thoroughly documented step by step.
