Free community COVID testing to end June 30

COVIDCheck Colorado, Gunnison Valley Health and Gunnison County Public Health recently announced that the free community COVID testing site, currently located on the campus of Gunnison Valley Health, will cease operations after June 30, 2022. COVIDCheck Colorado has been managing the site and is closing the Gunnison County location as part of the emergency response to the pandemic winding down.

Gunnison County Public Health director Joni Reynolds stressed that testing options for the community will continue to be available.

“If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or feel that you need to be tested, please schedule a visit with your primary care provider,” Reynolds said. “They will evaluate your symptoms and support you to access the appropriate testing and treatment. COVID testing is also available through local pharmacies. The approach of accessing testing as a part of routine medical care is consistent with how testing is accessed for other illnesses such as influenza and strep throat.”

Although COVID testing will no longer be a free service there are resources available to offset the cost for some individuals.

“This shift in testing is indicative of the continued progression to the endemic phase of COVID, but there are resources available to help people who cannot afford testing,” Reynolds said. “If you are in need of a COVID test, but don’t have the ability to pay, please contact Public Health for assistance through our Community Service Block Grant (CSBG).”

Gunnison Valley Health and Gunnison County Public Health have maintained a strong partnership throughout the pandemic and have worked collaboratively to support the community to have the resources they need to be safe. 

“I continue to be proud of how everyone in the community came together and worked to keep each other safe,” Reynolds said. “The commitment of our local health care providers and the health system to supporting public health makes our community safer and better able to handle emergencies when they arise.”

Both Reynolds and Gunnison Valley Health CEO Jason Amrich believe that the collaboration and lessons learned over the past two years have created a stronger safety net for the community.

“I am thankful that we have the strong leadership of Joni Reynolds in our public health department, and I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish together,” Amrich said. “There has been so much incredible work done by both teams – we have laid a solid foundation that will continue to support the health of the Gunnison Valley for years to come.”

If you have any questions about COVID testing, please contact your primary care provider or Gunnison County Public Health.