Suffolk offering free COVID tests, masks
The FDA website has a breakdown showing the shelf life of about two-dozen COVID-19 at-home test kit brands. Credit: Newsday/William Perlman
Suffolk County residents can get two free COVID-19 test kits for each member of their household at a free distribution event on Jan. 24 at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.
Officials said they have will have about 1,000 COVID-19 test kits and 1,000 KN95 masks available for distribution that day between noon and 6 p.m. They will be available on a first-come first-served basis.
“While many of us have resumed daily life, living with COVID-19, it is still important that everyone has access to the tools available to prevent exposure and spread,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in a statement. “As we continue to see new variants, it is clear that availability to test kits is imperative as we work to keep this virus under control.”
The distribution is being held as health experts are monitoring COVID-19 cases for any post-holiday wave.
While the percentage of new positive COVID-19 test results in Suffolk County has declined in recent days, all of Long Island remains at high community transmission levels according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highly contagious XXB 1.5 subvariant has also been fueling the majority of new cases across the state.
"Testing is still crucial to slowing the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said in a statement. “When we test positive early in the course of illness, we have the opportunity to seek treatment to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID infection, and can limit the spread of the virus to others."
Officials said the COVID-19 test kits came from the county’s Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services supply.
The federal government has also reactivated its free COVID-19 distribution with the U.S. Postal Service. Each household can receive four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests by filling out a form at the website: special.usps.com/testkits.
In addition, the county is holding free vaccination clinics at a number of local libraries including Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Patchogue-Medford Library, 54-60 East Main St., Patchogue; Jan. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sachem Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook; Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverhead Library, 330 Court St., Riverhead and Jan. 31 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at West Babylon Library, 211 Route 109 in West Babylon.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
