Carbondale to get free COVID testing site
Free COVID-19 testing will be available in Carbondale starting Tuesday, Dec. 1.
The outdoor, tented, drive-through test site is located at the west side of Carbondale Town Hall, at 511 Colorado Ave., in the Rec Center parking lot. Access is via car from Fourth Street (behind Town Hall).
The site is operated in partnership with Roaring Fork Neurology. Sites are also operating in Glenwood Springs at 14th and Grand and El Jebel at the Eagle County Community Center.
Sites are planned for Snowmass Village and the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, said Brooke Allen of Roaring Fork Neurology.
The Carbondale test site will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The time slots are different at each test site depending on what towns asked for, Allen said, but each is for four hours Monday through Friday. El Jebel’s site is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Glenwood’s is 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Testing is by appointment only and does not require a doctor’s referral. Walk-ups are not available at this time, and appointments must made at http://www.rfvcovidtest.com.
Children can be tested if they can provide a saliva (spit) sample. This is usually best for children at least 5 years old, according to a press release.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has purchased saliva PCR tests for the valley in collaboration with local public health departments and MicrogenDx. Funding comes from the CARES Act, Allen said.
The testing sites can each handle three patients every five minutes, Allen said.
MicrogenDx has a typical turnaround time of 48-72 hours, according to the release. Results will be reported to local public health departments and the state of Colorado. Those with a positive test will get a call from the testing team and from local public health authorities regarding the next steps.
Allen said she is hiring testers, and the job pays $40 per hour.
“It’s hard, it’s a little stressful,” she said.
While it’s helpful to have some medical background, it’s not necessary, Allen said, as the saliva tests are non-invasive.
Anyone interested in more information about employment can contact Allen at info@roaringforkneurology.com.
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