RICHMOND, Va. -- The Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts is offering free COVID-19 testing Tuesday, just one of several testing events planned for the week.
Tuesday’s drive-thru event is scheduled to take place from 1-3 p.m. at the Eastern Henrico Health District on N. Laburnum Ave. Test results are expected in 3-5 business days.
As COVID cases continued to surge to record highs, health experts said getting tested was crucial in limiting the spread.
“Regardless of whether or not you know you’ve been exposed, if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection, it is critical that you be tested both for your own health, and for the health of those around you,” said Dr. Melissa Viray Deputy Director for the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts.
She added that not only should people who know they’ve been exposed get tested as well, but even those who may have been exposed.
“If you were in a large social gathering, especially with folks who with whom, you're not particularly close, then you should consider getting tested, and you should consider understanding what your COVID-19 status is now,” Dr. Viray said.
Dr. Viray warned people to continue to take safety protocols seriously, wear masks, wash hands, and stay home if possible, especially during the winter months while the general population waits to be vaccinated.
“As bad as it looks right now, I'm hoping that people will take measures to keep things as contained as possible. And really adhere to social distancing measures to prevent it from getting even worse, because it could get worse,” Dr. Viray said. “It's even more important now, with so many disease, so much infection going on there that we that we still adhere to this.”
Other testing events are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 7, from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. at Diversity Richmond, and Friday, Jan. 8, from 1-3 p.m. at the Eastern Henrico Health Department.
