Where can you get tested for Covid in Lane County? This and other questions answered
EUGENE, Ore. — Tuesday the University of Oregon's testing program processed it's 100,000th Covid test.
And the U of O isn't the only one seeing an increase in the interest for testing.
We've seen an increase in calls to our newsroom with questions about getting tested.
Where can you go for testing? Do you have to pay? And do you still need to be tested if you're vaccinated?
We checked with local resources to bring you some of those answers.
"When we see an uptick in the virus in the community, folks kind of get the picture, come in and get tested," says Brian Fox, the director of UO's MAP program.
A year and a half into the pandemic, coronavirus testing centers have swabbed a lot of nostrils, with the UO hitting that milestone Tuesday.
The school's Monitoring and Assessment Program (MAP) has been providing free community testing since last fall.
"It's pretty simple," explains Fox. "Folks sign up online, so you can schedule an appointment that makes sense to you, or you can do a walk-in. Come on in, we'll get you registered while you're here."
But the U of O is hardly the only option for Covid testing in Lane County.
Testing can be found at urgent cares, public health clinics, and even over the counter at pharmacies.
But which option is right for you?
Here are some testing dos and don'ts, based on OHA's guidance.
- DO start by calling your own primary care doctor
- DON'T go to the emergency room for Covid testing
- but DO go there if you need emergency care for your symptoms
- Once you find a testing site, DO call ahead to verify hours and see if an appointment is necessary
- and DON'T seek testing at U of O if you're showing symptoms of Covid-19
"Our testing is for folks that are asymptomatic, and that relieves stress on doctors clinics or some of the other health clinics out there that can see folks who are symptomatic," says Fox.
Does vaccine status play into it at all?
"It doesn't. Folks are welcome regardless of whether they have or haven't gotten the vaccine."
The biggest "DO"? If you're experiencing symptoms or have had close contact with a positive case, DO get tested - whether you've been vaccinated or not.
Now there is an over-the-counter Covid test you can buy for about $25 at most pharmacies. It's an antigen test that's been approved under an Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA.
To find where to get tested:
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
- Testing Schedule/Locations/What you need to know: https://coronavirus.uoregon.edu/map-testing
- COVID-19 Monitoring and Assessment Program (MAP): https://coronavirus.uoregon.edu/map
STATEWIDE TESTING PER OHA
Additional testing sites are listed here: https://govstatus.egov.com/or-oha-covid-19-testing (you're encouraged to call ahead before getting a test to verify hours and if an appointment is required)
LANE COUNTY TESTING
- Visit here.