Genesee will offer rapid testing for Covid on Thursday

Free tests for people who are asymptomatic, but may have been exposed to Covid

BATAVIA – Genesee County will offer residents, who are asymptomatic with free drive-thru Covid-19 self-administered rapid testing on Thursday.

The free testing will be offered from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility, 7690 State Street Rd. in the Town of Batavia.

For anyone with a recent potential exposure to Covid-19, it is not recommended to be tested until at least 5 days have passed since the exposure. Anyone with any cold or flu-like symptoms, even if mild, will not be eligible for this test, and neither will any others arriving in their car.

This is for people without symptoms or who are not feeling sick.

Those interested in scheduling a test must register on-line (click here). Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555.

“It is very important to note that this testing is not for residents who are experiencing symptoms,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties. “Those individuals should be contacting their physician to discuss treatment and testing options. Given the surge of infections in the county, it’s important that we identify those who are infected that may not be demonstrating any symptoms and in fact are feeling fine.”

At the drive-through site, a staff member for the testing center will offer guidance for residents to administer their own self-test by using a cotton swab. Each person in a vehicle will self-administer their own test. If there is a minor in the car, an adult in the vehicle will be asked to administer the test. People will then drive off and will be contacted via phone with the results, with option for these results to be emailed as well.

“If a person who is asymptomatic tests positive for the virus, he or she will need to be in isolation for a minimum of 10 days,” Pettit said.  “While this might discourage people from getting tested, we need to work together as a community to reduce the surge, plus someone who is asymptomatic can still infect a loved one who is not.”

Pettit said he expects additional rapid testing opportunities in the near future in Genesee and Orleans counties.