PROVO, Utah – The Utah Department of Health continues to offer free rapid antigen testing at numerous sites throughout the state.
New sites are offered each week based on positivity rates, fewer tests conducted, untreated wastewater sampling, and other surveillance data. Some of the below locations for the week of February 1 are drive-through while others will be conducted indoors.
Regardless of location, everyone is encouraged to wear masks and social distance while waiting in lines.
Children 5-years-old and older can get tested at these free testing clinics, even if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone with any symptoms, even mild ones, are encouraged to get tested.
If you came into close contact with someone who has COVID-19 while they were infectious, UDOH says you should quarantine and get tested. Wait 7 days after the time you were around the infected person to come and get tested. This allows enough of the virus build up in your body to be detected by the tests.
UDOH asks that you please register online before coming to get tested. If you do not register online or can’t register online, you will be able to register at the site but it will take longer for you to be tested. Identification may be required.
These testing clinics are designed to more quickly identify people who are currently infectious with COVID-19, including those who may not even know they are infected because they don’t have symptoms. Identifying these individuals will help slow the spread of infection in the community.
Rapid antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR tests, according to UDOH. This means PCR tests are better than antigen tests at detecting the virus, particularly when a person has small amounts of virus in their body. If an individual has symptoms and tests negative on the rapid antigen test or an individual doesn’t have symptoms and tests positive on the rapid antigen test, they will be referred for a follow up, confirmation PCR test.
