Coronavirus Testing Kiosks To Open In Alexandria

Emily Leayman
·2 min read

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria will further expand its coronavirus testing access with the opening of testing kiosks. The sites will open on Jan. 7 and operated by private testing company Curative.

The city will replace six hours per week of ad hoc community testing events with about 150 hours per week of kiosk availability. Curative already operates more than 8,000 testing sites across the nation, where individuals self-administer a testing swab under the supervision of a Curative worker. The swab is placed in a biohazard bag, given to a Curative worker and delivered each night to a lab based in DC. Results will be sent by email or text message within 48 to 72 hours.

Tests do not require government identification and are free regardless of insurance or immigration status. Individuals will be asked for insurance information if available so insurance providers can be billed. Walk-up testing is available, but appointments are encouraged at Curative.com. Kiosk service is available in English and Spanish.

These locations will be available starting on Thursday, Jan. 7:

  • Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center, 25 West ReedAvenue, AlexandriaMonday through Friday, 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria,Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria,Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The partnership will significantly increase free testing availability in the city. To date, 90,632 PCR testing encounters have been reported in the city, according to the Virginia Department of Health. There have also been 6,099 antibody tests (testing for past infection) and 5,041 antigen tests (rapid test for active infection, but accuracy may be lower than PCR test). The health department says a key part of stopping the spread of COVID-19 is identifying those who are positive so they can isolate from others.

Residents can find other testing options on the health department's website or the VDH searchable map.

This article originally appeared on the Old Town Alexandria Patch