Press release from Buncombe County:
In response to a high demand for testing and a surge in COVID-19 cases, more testing opportunities are opening up in Buncombe County. Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) Public Health has purchased a limited number of at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits to distribute throughout the community to bridge testing needs while testing demand remains high. BCHHS is also providing face coverings for distribution along with the test kits. Vaccination, testing, staying home when you feel unwell, and correctly wearing a face covering can help in the battle against the very contagious Omicron variant.
The testing kits will be distributed in two ways to ensure equity and coverage throughout the county. First, Public Health has identified 22 equity-focused community organizations that work in one or more of the following domains: 1) Service to Historically Marginalized Populations, 2) Service in Low-Income Areas, and/or 3) Service in Rural Communities. These organizations will receive test kits and face coverings that they will provide to their service population and/or community events serving their populations.
Secondly, test kits and masks will be distributed to general public at fixed sites geographically located throughout the county. Beginning Thursday, January 20, 2022 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 13 fire departments and BCHHS (40 Coxe Avenue, Downtown Asheville) will distribute test kits and masks.
The 13 fire departments include:
Broad River FD
Fairview FD
Swannanoa FD
West Buncombe FD
Riceville FD
Black Mountain FD
Upper Hominy FD
Garren Creek VFD
Asheville FD – Downtown & Hendersonville Rd (Shiloh)
Jupiter FD
Reynolds FD
Barnardsville Fire Department
Enka-Candler Fire DepartmentCommunity members may want to call ahead to locations to check if supply is still available.
The fixed site locations will provide at least one (1) kit per adult but no more than two (2) kits per adult and at least one (1) bag of face coverings per individual. Each test kit box contains one (1) at-home test, instructions for use, and guidance for testing and isolation and each face covering bag contains ten (10) face coverings. The kits and face coverings are free, and no identification is needed to obtain these items.
The BCHHS at-home test kit distribution comes at the same time as every household in the country can order four (4) free at-home kits through the newly createdwww.covidtests.govwebsite. Once ordered, kits are expected to ship in 7-12 days.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also offers at-home PCR test kits through LabCorp, which are delivered at no cost via FedEx and returned to the lab for processing. Those kits can be accessed here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/testing/covid-19-test-home-collection-kit-program
Through an additional NC DHHS testing vendor, more in-person PCR testing opportunities have opened to our community and will begin on the campus of UNC Asheville starting this Friday from 1 p.m.-8 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Room in the Highsmith Student Union, located at 2500 University Heights, Asheville NC 28804. Weekend testing will be available for the next six weeks and is open to the public.
More resources for testing are listed at ncdhhs.gov/GetTested, including the Harrah’s Cherokee Center testing site, 87 Haywood St., Asheville, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you know you need an appointment, confirm your testing opportunity by booking an appointment in advance. Please do not visit a hospital emergency department for a COVID-19 test. If you feel unwell, it is important to isolate until your symptoms improve. Please keep yourself and others as safe and healthy as possible by doing your part: mask up and boost your health by being up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.