Free COVID-19 testing is now available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through a TestAndGo kiosk located at Sampson County Health Department. Sampson is one of only six counties in the state that was approved for a kiosk.

The North Carolina Department of Public Health is deploying the self-service kiosks designed for contactless COVID-19 testing. The kiosk was installed on March 8 in front of the Human Services Building, 360 County Complex Road, Building E, Clinton.

The TestAndGo kiosks administer highly accurate PCR tests, while operating in easy-to-reach locations for increased community access to vital public health resources. Antigen (rapid) tests will also be available in the kiosk in the near future.

The Testing and Therapeutics Team of the NC Division of Public Health, reached out via email about the TestAndGo Kiosk Pilot that they presented during a local health director meeting in January. Following that meeting, Health director Wanda Robinson received this email: “If you are receiving this email, our team has identified your jurisdiction as a priority target and we would like to know if you are interested in having one of these kiosks in your jurisdiction.”

The new TestAndGo kiosks help overcome barriers by offering safe and reliable tests regardless of one’s insurance status or current level of engagement within the healthcare system. The kiosks also improve the county’s health equity by catering to all members of Sampson County’s diverse population. This includes providing instructions through an intuitive interface in English, Spanish, and other localized languages specific to the county’s needs.

After completing a brief registration form, the kiosk dispenses a test kit that includes a nasal swab, like other at-home tests, and instructions on collecting the specimen. Once the specimen is collected, it is safely packaged back into the kit and placed in the kiosk. The specimens are picked up daily and sent to an accredited lab for PCR testing.

There is no out-of-pocket cost for the tests provided through the kiosk, but for those individuals with insurance, their insurance will be billed for the test. In many cases, individuals will receive notification of their test results by email or text within 48 hours of specimen collection. Pre-registration for testing at the kiosk is not required, but available at https://register.testandgo.com/.

Learn more about the TestAndGo kiosk at www.testandgo.com.

There were 502 positive cases in January and 281 positive cases in February in Sampson. Those included confirmed and probable so it includes PCRs and Antigens, but doesn’t include home tests that are being done by people at home — those are often not reported.

Luke Smith is a Health Educator at the Sampson County Health Department.