Colorado is launching free, quick, and easy COVID-19 testing kiosks starting with two kiosks located in Greeley at the University of Northern Colorado and Denver International Airport to bolster testing further.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has partnered with Curative to increase testing in long-term care facilities and within the rural and frontier communities. The testing kiosk located at the University of Northern Colorado began testing on Saturday, November 7, and can be found at Nottingham Field operating Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.
“We are acting swiftly and strategically when it comes to testing, and these new kiosks will help us get more people tested in our communities,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “Testing is a critical tool as is avoiding socializing outside of your home or family unit, steering clear of large gatherings, wearing masks, physical distancing, and washing your hands regularly,” Gov. Polis said.
There are currently over 50 free community testing sites located statewide in addition to dozens of locations offered by private providers. Colorado encourages its residents with symptoms ranging from fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell to congestion and nausea to get tested immediately.
All Coloradans need to wear masks, physically distant, avoid large gatherings, and stay at home while sick. Anyone who gets tested because of symptoms or possible exposure should be in isolation/quarantine while waiting for test results.
The specific test consists of an easy to administer oral-fluid swab test that checks for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. The oral fluid swab is self-collected and involves having the person being tested cough first, which releases the virus from the upper and lower respiratory tract, which is caught in saliva and then swabbed through the inside of the patient’s cheeks and the roof of their mouths.
The patient then seals their test with a secure container and returns it to a medical professional to be administered in the lab. Curate manages everything from the supply chain from processing to delivering results with patients expected to receive test results within 48 hours through either text message or email.
For more up-to-date information regarding Colorado and COVID-19, visit: covid19.colorado.gov