Riverhead to Distribute 1,200 Free COVID Home Tests Thursday

Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar‘s office announced Thursday that Suffolk County has provided the Town with 1,200 rapid COVID-19 home test kits for distribution to residents in her community at no cost. Each kit consists of two tests.

Supervisor Aguiar has scheduled a “Free COVID-19 Test Kit Drive” to take place at two locations next Tuesday, February 22 from noon to 4 p.m.

Distribution sites include the Town Hall Reception Desk at 200 Howell Avenue in Downtown Riverhead, and the Aquebogue Senior Center, located at 60 Shade Tree Lane in Aquebogue.

In January, the Biden Administration announced their pledge to expand access to testing by purchasing one billion COVID-19 home tests and distributing them for free to every family in America who orders them from covidtests.gov, a government website. The ordering piece of the plan, which began on January 19, went smoothly by all accounts, and so far more than 50 million households have since received the allotted four tests per household, according to a White House official who spoke to CNN on Wednesday. But media outlets around the country say that one month later, many families are still waiting, despite the purported 7–12-day shipping window.

At the height of the Omicron surge, rapid tests were being bought up as quickly as they hit area pharmacy shelves, but that demand has since died down. For those who have not received free tests in the mail, and who can pay, the home tests are readily available at most local chain pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens. That said, now might be a good time to pick up a couple tests and be prepared, within reason, for any future outbreaks.

For details and upcoming distribution drives in Riverhead, visit the Riverhead Town website, townofriverheadny.gov.