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The Virginia Department of Health’s Piedmont Health District will offer a COVID-19 testing event January 12 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Victoria Railroad Park located at 1403 Firehouse Road.

Tests are available on a first-come, first-served basis and at no cost to the patient. Walk-ups are accepted. No insurance needed. No appointment or advanced registration needed.

The testing event will use the three-day PCR test. A rapid test option is not available. Testing is available to all ages. However, a parent or guardian should accompany anyone under 18 years old.

To protect yourself and healthcare workers, wear a cloth face covering or mask. Keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and other people at all times. Be sure to tell the testing providers if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, deep cough or shortness of breath, or believe that you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

VDH recommends that the following people be tested for COVID-19:

• People who have symptoms of COVID-19.

• People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested to check for infection at least five days after they last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. The date of the last close contact is considered Day 0.

• People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who are prioritized for expanded community screening for COVID-19.

• People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who have been asked or referred to get testing by their school, workplace, healthcare provider, state, tribal, local or territorial health department.

“It’s critical that we reserve our hospital emergency rooms and rescue squads for medical emergencies, so if you’re seeking a COVID test and it is not an emergency, please utilize our community testing events or testing at one of our retail pharmacy partners,” said Piedmont Health Director Maria Almond, MD, MPH.

For questions about COVID-19 testing or a list of testing locations, visit the VDH website or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For those still needing a COVID-19 vaccine, please visit or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available in more than 100 languages.