This week, Arlington Public Library will once again be giving away at-home COVID-19 test kits.
Starting Thursday at noon, some 2,000 kits will be available across all seven library locations, the library system announced Monday evening.
Arlington Public Library will have a limited supply of COVID-19 Rapid Antigen At-Home Test Kits for distribution on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 at 12 p.m.https://t.co/gRZX9nxq9c
— Arlington VA Pub Lib (@ArlingtonVALib) December 27, 2021
“Test kits are dispensed on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be picked up from the service desk at each Library location,” the library announcement says. “Neither proof of County residency nor a library card is required, and the kits are free of charge.”
The distribution follows a similar effort two weeks ago in which people snapped up the 360 available rapid antigen test kits in a few hours. Another round of test kit giveaways last week lasted less than an hour.
Initially, Arlington Public Library estimated new tests wouldn’t come until the new year.
And Arlington libraries are out of tests, less than an hour after doors opened.
No more tests until at least after Jan. 1. https://t.co/PZWizt4xOJ
— Matt Blitz (@WhyBlitz) December 21, 2021
Visitors can pick up test kits, supplied by Virginia Department of Health, for themselves and household members, the announcement says. It advises folks to act quickly.
“Due to increased demand, test kits at library locations are expected to be out of stock very quickly,” the library said. “Please check back for updates.”
Masks are required in all library buildings. The library asks those with COVID-19 symptoms to send someone else to pick up their test for them.
Demand for COVID-19 tests in Arlington has picked up with the holiday season and the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, resulting in long lines and even heavy vehicle traffic as people try to get swabbed.
Scanner: ACPD responding to Preston’s Pharmacy at 5101 Langston Blvd for reports of traffic issued caused by Covid testing
— Arlington Now (@ARLnowDOTcom) December 27, 2021
https://twitter.com/VictoriaBroehm/status/1473411681346895874
For those who can’t get an at-home test kit from the library, Arlington County has three testing kiosks open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
They’re found in the Arlington Mill Community Center parking lot (909 S. Dinwiddie Street), the Courthouse Plaza parking lot (2088 15th Street N.) and the Virginia Highlands Park parking lot (1600 S. Hayes Street).
The kiosks will close at 2 p.m. on Friday and will be closed Saturday, New Year’s Day.
VDH also has a list of testing locations.