The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has 38 upcoming community testing events scheduled in Alexander, Beaufort, Bertie, Chowan, Columbus, Duplin, Graham, Henderson, Hertford, Jackson, Lenoir, Pitt, Randolph, Sampson, Wake and Wilson counties as part of the initiative to increase access to free COVID-19 testing for African American, LatinX/Hispanic and American Indian communities that currently have limited testing sites.
So far, more than 180 testing events have been coordinated through this initiative, which is being extended into August. There is no cost to people getting tested. Insurance, if available, will be billed but there are no co-pays or cost-sharing for anyone seeking testing. Those who are uninsured are also tested at no cost.
For an up-to-date list of events, visit the Community Testing Events page of the NCDHHS COVID-19 website. NCDHHS testing events are listed under the name of their coordinating vendor: NCCHCA, Orig3n, Inc or Vidant Health. NCDHHS is updating the Community Testing Event website as notified by vendors of any closures in response to Tropical Storm Isaias. Individual testing events will determine whether they will cancel, reschedule or change logistics for their community testing event. During a hurricane or tropical storm, the safety of staff and of people getting tested is prioritized.
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. A disproportionately high percentage of North Carolina’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 have occurred among historically marginalized populations, and mounting evidence shows the members of these populations experience higher rates of COVID-19 mortality and serious complications.
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 Events on the NCDHHS website. Check the Community Testing Events page daily for more events provided by NCDHHS in partnership with Vidant Health, Orig3n, Inc and the North Carolina Community Health Center Association.
More Information
For more information on testing and contact tracing, please see the NCDHHS Frequently Asked Questions about Testing and the NCDHHS Frequently Asked Questions about Contact Tracing. For the latest information on COVID-19, visit nc.gov/covid19. For more data and information about North Carolina’s testing strategy, visit the North Carolina COVID-19 Dashboard: covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.