By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — If you think you may have COVID-19, you need to get tested. There will be some opportunities for free testing next week.
"Tuesday, we have a date," said Reno County Health Officer Karen Hammersmith. "We also have WellHealth coming to town and we'll have more information coming out as soon as they are here. I believe, right now, its preliminary set up that they'll be here the 17th, but we will get advertisement out about that and then people can get tested, you know, more of an 8 to 5 schedule."
The Tuesday date at the fairgrounds is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. However, if you are sick, Hammersmith suggests you call your healthcare provider to be checked out. It isn't taking as long to get tests back as it was at times during the pandemic.
"Community testing has been doing a really good job about getting testing back," Hammersmith said. "I would say that if we took the test on Tuesday, we're usually seeing them Thursday evening into Friday coming back. The clinic has been a little slower, as well as Prairie Star. It depends on what reference lab they are using for the PCRs that are send outs."
It's important to note that you should isolate while you are awaiting a test, so as not to infect others, if you believe you are a close contact of a person who has tested positive.