Health dept. plans distribution of covid-19 tests
The town will begin distributing covid-19 rapid tests within the next few weeks, officials say.
The town will begin distributing covid-19 rapid tests within the next few weeks, officials say.
More covid-19 rapid tests have arrived — now the health department is figuring out how to hand out tests to residents without snarling traffic.
“The test kits are a hot commodity,” public health director Patrick MacDonald said Wednesday.
The town received a shipment of rapid tests a few days ago and is now in the midst of planning how, when and where the tests will be distributed. More details on the town’s distribution plans will be released in the coming weeks.
MacDonald said the hope is to give out the tests in a fair way that doesn’t create massive traffic and local commotion.
He didn’t have a total number on how many tests the town has received, as he said the tests come from both a county allotment and from private acquisitions spearheaded by the town.
The general plan is to give out all the tests within the next two weeks, MacDonald said. All of the acquired tests are iHealth antigen rapid tests, which take about 15 minutes to use and are also available in retail stores. Two tests come in each box, which sell for about $20 a box in some pharmacies.
The town has also acquired N95 masks, which it plans to hand out at the Special Town Meeting on Feb. 22, Select Board members agreed during Tuesday night’s meeting.
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