Wareham to hand out Covid-19 tests next week

Feb 17, 2022

Wareham will begin distributing free covid-19 tests next week on a first-come first-serve basis, town officials say.

Health Department assistant Kayla Bettencourt said in an email Thursday that rapid tests will be distributed from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, and 1-4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in the auditorium on the second floor of Town Hall.

“We will ask the individuals how many tests they need for their families and they will be given out accordingly,” Bettencourt said in an email.

Bettencourt said Wareham received 14,000 test kits in total, which came from both the state and the town’s private deals with companies. The 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.