NORTH CAROLINA - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has announced community testing events in Hertford, Northampton and Wake counties as part of the initiative to increase access to free COVID-19 testing for historically marginalized communities that currently have limited testing sites.
There is no cost for testing. You can find an up-to-date list of events at this page of the NCDHHS COVID-19 website. Testing events associated with this initiative are listed under the name of their coordinating vendor, Vidant Health or Orig3n, Inc.
A disproportionately high percentage of North Carolina’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 have occurred among historically marginalized populations, health officials say. Mounting evidence shows the members of these populations experience higher rates of COVID-19 mortality and serious complications.
Health officials say that people who may not currently have symptoms but may have been exposed to COVID-19 should get tested, especially people from historically marginalized communities, including Latinx/Hispanic, Black/African American, and American Indian populations.
In addition, testing is a priority for anyone who has symptoms or those who may have been exposed to COVID-19, including:
- Anyone who has attended a mass gathering including a protest
- Anyone who works in a setting at higher risk of exposure such as a grocery store, restaurant, gas station, or childcare program
- People who live or work in high-risk settings such as long-term facilities, homeless shelters, correctional facilities or food processing facility.
North Carolinians can find testing sites available in their community through visiting Find My Testing Place and Community Testing Eventson the NCDHHS website.
If someone tests positive for COVID-19, the COVID-19 Community Team will reach out to them and connect them with needed supports.
Health official also say that people should answer the call when the COVID-19 Community Team reaches out. They may also get a text message from the number 45394 or email from NC-ARIAS-NoReply @ dhhs.nc.gov with further instructions.